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Community group outlines Arts Corridor vision for McDonald and 23rd Streets, launches public survey
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Summary
Richmond Renaissance and partners presented a proposal to build an Arts Corridor along McDonald and 23rd Streets to concentrate galleries, performance venues, public art and artist housing. Presenters emphasized arts as a tool for community unity and cultural representation and launched an English/Spanish community survey to gather public input.
A community coalition calling itself Richmond Renaissance presented a proposal for a downtown Arts Corridor along McDonald and 23rd Streets and asked stakeholders to complete a community survey that will be used in outreach to the city and arts funders.
Kendall, the coalition’s community engagement representative, said the corridor would knit together existing institutions — Richmond Art Center, NIAID (a disability arts organization), RISE (a youth center), and the Richmond History Museum — and would aim to expand galleries, theaters, live music, artist housing and public events to attract visitors and support local artists.
“Art is a pathway to healing and community unity,” Kendall said. Presenters highlighted community listening sessions and tabling at local events as the basis for the survey, which is available in English and Spanish and is intended to demonstrate public support to funders and city decision-makers.
Why it matters: presenters argued the corridor would create jobs, increase cultural access, support artist livelihoods and encourage investment in neighborhood retail; they said the corridor would prioritize community-led programming and cultural representation of the city’s diverse residents.
Community engagement: the group said it has held eight listening sessions this year and will leave printed flyers and a QR code for the survey. Attendees at the meeting added that arts workshops and hands-on programs for youth and adults should be a component.
Next steps: Richmond Renaissance will collect survey responses, prepare a community-backed proposal and engage with the city’s arts and cultural commission and potential funders to seek public and private support.
Sources: Richmond Arts Corridor presentation at the Richmond Rising TCC stakeholder meeting (start 01:44:38).
