An Arts City

People, places and moments that have defined Richmond’s cultural scene

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ARTS

From street art to performing art, music to museums, there are many reasons the nation has taken notice of all Richmond has to offer. CNN named the city No. 1 in its 2024 list of “America’s Best Towns to Visit.” But how did we get here? Countless institutions, people, moments and movements have made a lasting impact, shaping Richmond’s cultural landscape over the course of nearly two centuries.

Virginia Historical Society / Virginia Museum of History & Culture

(1831-today)

The oldest museum in the commonwealth and one of the longest-running historical organizations in the country, the Virginia Museum of History & Culture was founded as the Virginia Historical Society in 1831. It not only serves as a depository of the ever-evolving story of the state, but it is also an educational hub offering civics lessons for all ages, and its virtual learning program for students has gained worldwide recognition. The VMHC’s content broadly spans time and regions, making it the only institution dedicated to sharing the entire history of Virginia.

The Valentine

(1898-today)

The Valentine’s founder, Mann S. Valentine II, bequeathed his collection of historical objects, the Wickham House (pictured right) and an endowment of $50,000 to the city to establish a museum in 1892. Originally focused on general art and history, the institution transitioned to preserving and interpreting Richmond’s people, places and things — the only museum with this focus. The Valentine’s longtime director, the late Bill Martin, saved it from permanent closure in the mid-1990s by incorporating dynamic programming and helming a change with the times. Its exhibitions continue to tackle difficult and sometimes controversial history, telling deeper and inclusive stories.

Jackson Ward “The Harlem Of The South”

(1871-today)

After white leaders designed the Ward to segregate Black residents, strong community organizations and businesses took root. “The Deuce” (Second Street) became a center for dining and music, launching actor Charles Sidney Gilpin and entertainer Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. While the construction of I-95, urban renewal and gentrification have taken their toll on this once vibrant cultural hub, the historic neighborhood holds a legacy as a place of business and residence for prominent Black Richmonders and is still a landmark for Black achievement. Sites such as The Hippodrome Theater, which received a 2012 rehabilitation, remain entertainment stalwarts.

Mosque Theater / Altria Theater; Loew’s Movie Palace / Carpenter Theatre

(1927-today; 1928-today)

The Mosque Theater opened in 1927 as a performance venue and meeting space for the ACCA Shriners. Today named the Altria Theater, the lavish Moorish Revival building is one-of-a-kind. When the Loew’s movie palace opened in 1928, it was considered the most modern theater in the South. In 1983, it became the Carpenter Theatre (currently part of the Dominion Energy Center) and was transformed into a performing arts venue. Both theaters have been boons for the city’s cultural scenes over the years, serving as community spaces and hubs for big-name talent and intimate shows alike, as well as luring commerce and tourism downtown.

The Byrd Theatre

(1928-today)

Designed to screen both silent and talking films, The Byrd has operated as a cinema almost continuously since it first opened nearly a century ago. The theater still houses the Mighty Wurlitzer organ, on which Bob Gulledge has provided pre-show entertainment for 30 years. The opulent French Empire-style building remains largely unaltered, although the seating was recently replaced and additional restorations are planned. Drawing large crowds, The Byrd was the catalyst for what developed into the Carytown shopping district. Today, it serves as a hub for film festivals, new and second-run movies, and community events.

Theresa Pollak and the Establishment of Arts Schools

(1928-today)

City native Theresa Pollak (1899-2002) was an unwavering advocate of the arts who used her influence and guiding vision to create an enduring legacy of arts education in Richmond. She set the foundation for Virginia Commonwealth University’s VCUarts (1928) — now one of the top art and design schools in the country — and also provided the groundwork for a creative program at the University of Richmond that developed into the lauded Modlin Center for the Arts (1996).

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

(1936-today)

The VMFA opened during the Great Depression, signaling a commitment to the arts by state politicians and business leaders. With more than 50,000 works from across the globe spanning 6,000 years of history, it is one of the largest comprehensive art museums in the country and the only one open every day with free general admission. It has undergone numerous expansions over the years, with the largest to date currently underway and scheduled to open in 2029.

The Barksdale Theatre / Theatre IV / Virginia Repertory Theatre

(1953-today)

Founded in 1953 at Hanover Tavern, the Barksdale Theatre was Virginia’s first nonprofit performing arts group, the first dinner theater in the country and the first to defy racial segregation laws. In 1975, Bruce Miller and Phil Whiteway established Theatre IV, the primary performing arts organization in Richmond. The two institutions merged in 2012 to form Virginia Repertory Theatre, which presents professional productions at both Hanover Tavern and the November Theatre complex on Broad Street. A financial crisis in late 2024 nearly dropped the curtain on the highly regarded theater organization, but an emergency fundraising effort saved it.

Historic Richmond Foundation

(1956-today)

In the 1920s, Richmond’s architectural legacy was eroding due to the demands of vehicles and commerce. Historian Mary Wingfield Scott formed the William Byrd Branch of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities to save the 1784 Adam Craig House in Shockoe in 1935; the organization evolved into the Historic Richmond Foundation in 1956. It has had a hand in saving many arts landmarks including The National theater, which today stands as a concert destination for regional and national talent.

Richmond Coliseum

(1971-2019)

Debate about the Coliseum’s worthiness began even before its 1971 opening. It was the centerpiece of a proposed downtown rejuvenation program called Project One, the construction of which destroyed historic housing and family-run businesses. And yet the venue provided audiences with stadium acts including Elvis Presley, Cher, Elton John and the Grateful Dead. Sports teams, wrestling and monster trucks came and went. Deferred maintenance led to the Coliseum’s February 2019 closing. The larger events it once hosted have yet to return to the city. Whether the Coliseum’s future is renovation or detonation remains an open question.

The 1980s Music Scene

During the 1980s, venues such as The Flood Zone, Twisters, The Bus Stop, Rockitz, Benny’s and Hard Times opened their doors to experimental sounds, establishing a robust underground scene that paved the way for local musicians to gain an audience and established Richmond as a hub for independent music. Though these venues have since closed, they played a role in building a music community that Richmond is still known for. Many well-known bands got their start during this era, including the shock trauma metal opera GWAR and the avant-garde world music artists Ululating Mummies.

Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia

(1981-today)

Currently located in the Leigh Street Armory (originally built in 1895 for Richmond’s first African American militia), the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia preserves, interprets and shares the largely untold stories of Black history. In 2024, the museum received international recognition as one of just four U.S. locations selected for UNESCO’s Network of Places of History and Memory to educate the public on the history of enslavement and the Transatlantic slave trade. That same year, it received designation from the National Park Service as a member of the African American Civil Rights Network.

Richmond Triangle Players

(1993-today)

One of the oldest professional, continuously operating, LGBTQ-focused theater companies in the mid-Atlantic region, Richmond Triangle Players produces thought-provoking and dynamic plays and musicals. Its origins lie at the former Fieldens Cabaret Theatre and other various city venues, where the nonprofit company staged performances. In 2010, RTP relocated to Scott’s Addition, remodeling a former radiator shop into the Robert B. Moss Theatre and contributing to the revitalization of the historic neighborhood. It continues to serve as a safe space for presenting award-winning plays, community collaborations and cabaret shows.

First Fridays and the Arts District

(1997-today)

In the early 2000s, before there were tax incentives from the city and an officially designated Arts District, a cluster of galleries and small businesses in Jackson Ward banded together to promote each other and draw people to the area. Their efforts became the widely popular — and still ongoing — First Fridays, a monthly opportunity for the public to visit cultural institutions and attend special events and art openings. The signature happening brought the community together and significantly contributed to the growth and revitalization of the district.

Richmond Folk Festival / Brown’s Island Events

(2005-today)

A production of Venture Richmond and a coalition of sponsors and partnerships, the Richmond Folk Festival brings international music and some 200,000 people downtown every fall. The festival’s success inspired a surge in James River-adjacent entertainment. In 2006, the Friday Cheers concert series relocated to Brown’s Island, establishing the park as a performance venue; it also hosts The Broadberry’s summer-long Live Loud concert series. Popular events including Dominion Energy Riverrock and the Richmond International Dragon Boat Festival, as well as the recent opening of the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront (pictured above), have added to the area’s popularity.

Mending Walls RVA / RVA Street Art Festival

(2012-today)

Richmond experienced an explosion of street art in 2012, thanks to initiatives such as the RVA Street Art Festival, which featured massive outdoor murals created by local artists, and the Richmond Mural Project, which attracted international talent to create works on buildings throughout the city. In 2020, muralist Hamilton Glass founded the public art project Mending Walls RVA to focus on displays that advance social justice by sparking conversation and promoting community healing. Today, street art has become so ingrained in RVA, it’s hard to see a blank wall and not imagine the possibilities.

Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University

(2018-today)

Advancing Richmond’s footprint as an arts destination, the ICA is a noncollecting institution showcasing museum-quality works of modern art created by living artists. Free to the public, it explores new concepts through its exhibitions. With a mission to promote access to the arts, the ICA is also a hub for the growing art of podcasting through its Community Media Center featuring a publicly accessible recording studio. In 2020, USA Today named the ICA one of the best new museums (the only art museum in the country to receive the honor that year), citing its programming and the Steven Holl Architects-designed building.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

(2020-21)

Closing the doors of organizations largely dependent on ticket sales and events for funding was an existential threat. Creativity and innovation were key to surviving the loss of income. Many theater companies, galleries and arts institutions pivoted to virtual programming. Six years later, the creative community has largely bounced back, but the pandemic’s lasting legacies — financial deficits and decreased attendance numbers — continue to challenge local organizations today.