Editor’s Note: RVA Magazine is partnering with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture on coverage related to America’s 250th anniversary, including Richmond SailFest and IllumiNation. It's hard to impress people with just a building. Yet standing in front of the...
Merenda Cecelia, a Richmond-based artist and instructor, was recently dismissed from her teaching position at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) after reading a statement aloud in class. She describes the statement as a personal expression of artistic and academic freedom, which led to the termination of her contract just three days later....
Richmond has long been home to a thriving arts scene, with well-established membership-driven spaces like Artspace and the long-running 1708 Gallery providing vital platforms for artists. However, as the city continues to change, younger creatives are seeking new ways to carve out their own space within the arts...
There’s something inherently satisfying about a locked-room mystery. The kind where you, a detective by necessity, not by choice, are thrown into a puzzle that demands observation, deduction, and maybe a little alcohol. Richmond, being Richmond, doesn’t quite have that—but what it does have is Science on Tap! at the Science Museum of Virginia,...
In the barrenness of the winter months, SCAG (Southside Contemporary Art Gallery) provides a vivid contrast. Hull Street is alive with people hustling about the red brick buildings and snow-encrusted sidewalks. The gallery itself resembles a greenhouse, its entrance enshrined by the vines and leaves of potted plants. Sunlight cascades from the...
In a world where the chaos of war often dominates headlines and conversations, finding quiet moments within that turmoil offers a powerful lens into humanity’s resilience. This is the approach of Virginia-based photographer Noah Stone, whose ongoing series, The Grey Zone, captures the juxtaposition of life and war in Ukraine. What began as a...
Richmond, Virginia, is poised to become a pivotal location for understanding the history of slavery in America with The Shockoe Project, a large-scale initiative dedicated to memorializing the city's role in the transatlantic slave trade and honoring the experiences of enslaved and free Africans. With the unveiling of a life-size replica of the...
The No Input series continues at the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at VCU on Friday, December 13, with an evening of experimental performances curated by longtime DIY promoter and noise musician Alex Capraro. Featuring New York’s Sunk Heaven and Richmond’s Three-Brained Robot, this free event offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of...
Next year marks 20 years of the magazine, a milestone that’s inspired us to reflect on the stories that, in hindsight, were not only significant for us but also played a role in shaping the diverse scenes and cultural pockets of Downtown Richmond. Many of these stories have never been shared online or were lost during our transitions between...
I recently met with Sare Harvell, a local florist and owner of Warm Flowers, following their floral feature via the Hirschler Flower Fund at the VMFA. We had a long conversation that stemmed from our mutual appreciation of flowers and their language. I have known Sare for quite some time, but I was hesitant to write this article, given the power...
