Alchemy NFK has been helping creative culture flourish in Norfolk since they opened last April.
Alchemy NFK has been helping creative culture flourish in Norfolk since they opened last April. Now, they need help to continue giving back so generously.
An artistic workspace located in Norfolk’s fledgling arts district, Alchemy features studios, rehearsal rooms, a videography and screen-printing lab and a wood workshop. Better Block, an organization designed to help “redevelop communities that enable multi-modal transportation while increasing economic development” came to Norfolk about a year ago, and Charlie Burnell, the VP of Alchemy, said the timing was just perfect for their debut.
“So they (Better Block) chose this little stretch of downtown and when they did their city Better Block event, well, the circumstances presented themselves right so we presented Alchemy as it’s own thing that was part of Better Block, but also an emerging organization. And our event was wildly successful and was the centerpiece of the whole thing. We literally leased out the building from the owners the week after the owners of 30-some years vacated,” Burnell said.
“We were already apart of the city-wide effort to make Better Block a success, but we knew the momentum that was kind of in Norfolk at that point needed this. We saw it as our platform and an opportunity to demonstrate the power of the people living here and working together, and also kind of give it a name so in the future it could be recognized.”
Now, city code restrictions are leaving them with no choice but to upgrade the facility, but Burnell said an upgrade was already in their future plans. Aside from meeting the ordinances, they’re also hoping to add a full photography darkroom, sound production studio, gallery and even a café.
Alchemy launched a Kickstarter and were met with immediate support.
“It’s definitely inspiring. Watching it (Alchemy) go from this thing in our minds, then on paper, to unfolding in front of us is definitely a motivation in itself to keep rolling and to working extra hard to make sure this thing is successful. It’s often kind of surreal to me,” said Burnell.
Burnell said it’s the city’s passion behind the project that really keeps him involved, even when the murky economic future of the project hangs in the balance. “The people in my town working together for this thing that’s a little bit of everyone’s idea, and making something that everyone can be proud of that looks like our town.”
With one week to go, Alchemy is over halfway to their goal of $25,000, and donation options range from $1 to $10,000. They’ve diversified the rewards for their backers, featuring everything from koozies to snapbacks to gala tickets to even the privilege of throwing a pie in Charlie’s face.
“At first I wasn’t too excited by the idea but once I kind of saw the response, we like to laugh at each other but we also like to make sure that we can laugh at ourselves,” Burnell said with a chuckle.
Keep your eyes peeled on their Kickstarter, as Burnell said they have a video tour of Alchemy set to drop later this week.
And Tuesday, April First, Alchemy will team up with Norfolk’s Push Comedy Theater in a web-a-thon event hoping to further spur support for their downtown arts venture. Check it out here.
Last month we ran a piece about the creative similarities between Richmond and our southeastern, shore side sisters. Now’s a great time to lend a hand to some of the people responsible for making that connection possible.
