Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH) and Art on Wheels have partnered to send Richmonders on
Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH) and Art on Wheels have partnered to send Richmonders on a scavenger hunt starting this Wednesday to find a door they’ve hidden somewhere in the city.
But it’s not just any door- it’s part of a bigger project called “Find Art Doors” the two non-profits created earlier this year.
VSH upcycled 40 doors representing those removed from a renovation they did on an apartment complex for formerly homeless individuals called South Richmond Studios on Hull Street Road. VSH collaborated with Art on Wheels to get local professional artists and community groups to turn the doors into works of art.
“The inspiration was from the renovation and our project manager said it would be a shame to take these doors to the dump and I’ve heard of other communities repurposing doors,” said Andrea Butler, Director of Mission Advancement for VSH.
Butler said they looked online and talked to some people in Wisconsin that were doing something similar with a hotel in town where they donated proceeds to non-profits.
The doors are now installed at museums, parks, historic sites and other landmarks such as Main Street Station, Brown’s Island, Black History Museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, The Valentine and other places around Richmond. The doors have been up since July and the de-installation of the doors started on Monday and they all will be down tomorrow Oct 14., which kicks off the hunt for the hidden door.
“We will be giving a clue every day for that door,” said Butler.
Clues will be posted on Find Art Doors RVA site and on Instagram at #findartdoors.
If participants think they’ve found the door, they are asked to take a picture and upload it to Instagram with the above hashtag. The first to post the photo will win a champagne brunch at The Jefferson.
The first day of the scavenger hunt will also kick off the online auction in which people can bid on the 40 doors culminating with a live auction at the end of the month.
Art on Wheels coordinated the artists to design and paint the doors who are all based in Richmond.
Mickael Broth, Ed Trask, Matt Lively, All the Saints Theater Company, Hamilton Glass and Heide Trapanier are some of the artists that were selected or volunteered to paint a door for the project.
Butler said they also had community groups that were clients of Art on Wheels who painted a door including Hunter Holmes McGuire Virginia Medical Center, ROSMY, The Virginia Home, SPARC, and Autism advocacy organization RAIN.
Butler added each door has a sign on it that tells a little about the artist, a little about Find Art Doors and a story of someone who lived behind the door.
The funds from the auction will go back to the two non-profits. VSH will use them for supportive and affordable housing for the homeless.
“From medical, to physical mental health, securing income, just getting back into society,” she said “But it works, 95 percent of the people we serve do not become homeless again.”
Art on Wheels will be able to continue their mission of bringing arts programming to communities with limited access to the arts with the funds.
The online auction will close on Oct 24, the same day as the live auction. Eight of the doors will be designated for the live auction, which will take place at Historic Tredegar.
Tickets are $25 until Oct. 14; $35 until Oct. 23 and $40 at the door. Get yours here.
