ART 180

took over the parklet for
—wait for it—
the BIGGEST Easel yet!

With ‘s creative practice on full display, our fave tacos from , and nearly 100 attendees bringing great energy and conversation, we really set the bar high for Thursdays.

The Easel is back, next week with the artistry of + lunch from

Thursday, August 15 from 12-2 p.m. in the parklet only at ART 180.
🌞

Oh, we’re opening up for a little Saturday session, THIS SATURDAY!

High school students can come get the DEETS + an exclusive peek at our new fall lineup with workshops led by an ELITE group of artists, exploring:

*zine making
*vlogging
*expressive sculpture
*video game design

Jump the line to secure a spot in our fall art experiences and test out some new avenues for your creativity.

+ outside is our UJIMA resource mixer for the adults–Ujima, meaning collective work and responsibility. We’ve got leading his own mosaic workshop in the parklet open to parents, teachers, and community orgs.

Refreshments provided!

Saturday, August 10
11-2 p.m. (UJIMA gets started outside at noon)
ART 180
114 W Marshall St

Ready for an afternoon of pure creativity? The newest edition of the Easel is taking over the parklet Thursday, Aug 15!

Watch work his magic, crafting a masterpiece in just two hours—watch him turn a blank canvas into something you’ll be talking about for weeks.

Plus, will be on site, delivering maximum flavors. Your brown bag lunch won’t know what hit it!

Join us to explore new creative possibilities and make your Thursday something special.

Don’t miss the Easel:

Thursday, August 15
12-2 p.m.
@ the parklet
In front of ART 180’s Atlas gallery
114 W Marshall St.

Selfie in front of installation chaos to say, hello, today is nice lil milestone of me reaching 7 years with ART 180!!!

Rather than talk about my experience, the *journey*, ya know, I wanna shine a spotlight on the artists of our Atlas Artist Residency–10 high school artists who’ve spent their summer in the gallery, on trips, bonding, developing their skills, and building a remarkable exhibition to show it all off.

Their exhibition opens this Friday in our Atlas gallery, 5-8 p.m. We’re starting off with a BIG REVEAL, unveiling both the community monument created throughout the residency + the newly installed mural boards created by youth in our Off The Wall summer experience, led by .peace_

Back in the gallery it’s your chance to meet the young artists, our teaching artists in residence, experience their collective vision, and sink into the vibe of .peace_ on deck for a special dj set.

Happy to be part of this org!
Come out + support it!
☮️

🌟 Step into the Portal! 🌟

This Friday, experience the culmination of our Atlas Artist Residency at ART 180’s Atlas Gallery. Found Emotions: Our Revolution features deeply personal artworks by young Richmond artists, remaking found objects to tell their stories.

This show is a reflection of the many conversations framing this summer’s residency:

What does a community-built monument look like? What stories does it tell? How do you speak to your history, while looking into the future?

Found Emotions: Our Revolution
Friday, August 2
5-8 p.m.
@ ART 180’s Atlas Gallery
114 W Marshall St.

𝙐𝙢𝙖𝙢𝙖, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙬𝙨

Built from materials discarded and donated, sourced from our community, built as a collective. Created as part of the final project for our Atlas Artist Residency, Umama speaks to the reimagination, creativity and survival of Black women before and around us. With so many hands that have already touched the work due to those donated materials, the work allows us to consider how we hold her, and how she holds all of us.

Primarily built from $2,500 worth of donated styrofoam, which would otherwise be destined for a landfill, the monument speaks to sustainability, both literally and metaphorically. Are our communities sustainable without Black women?

The completed 𝙐𝙢𝙖𝙢𝙖, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙬𝙨 will be unveiled as part of the upcoming Found Emotions: Our Revolution exhibition at ART 180.

Opening Friday, August 2, 5-8 p.m.
In ART 180’s Atlas gallery
114 W Marshall St.

ART 180 takes over WRIR 97.3 FM Richmond Independent Radio ahead of our August opening–Found Emotions: Our Revolution– to discuss our Atlas Artist Residency, the power of monuments, reclamation of trash, and elevating found objects.

Featuring the voices and stories of:

Nastassja Swift, multimedia artist and teaching artist in residence at ART 180

Divine Miller, youth artist in residence in our Atlas Artist Residency

Mecca Harris, Manager of Outreach & Cultural Strategy at ART 180

Thank you to WRIR 97.3 FM Richmond Independent Radio and Parker S Galore for sharing your platform to tell these stories!!!

Signal Boost July 2024 Welcome to Signal boost, a community collaboration between Gallery 5 and WRIR-LP 97.3FM Richmond where we showcase the work of creative movers, shakers and community makers here in the City of Richmond. This week’s guests are Nastassja Swift, Divine Miller and Mecca Harris of Art 180, plus Ash Moo...

Opening Friday, August 2, at ART 180, 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 is the culmination of the Atlas Artist Residency–our summer-long art intensive comprised of a small group of creative and dedicated high school artists.

The cohort has incorporated found objects into mediums exploring deep waves of their own history, memories, growth, pride, and freedom through 2D and 3D pieces–including reflective self-portraits, sculptures, paintings, installations, video, sound, and performance.

Led by teaching artists-in-residence, (ART 180’s inaugural International Artist in Residence from Cape Town, South Africa) and (a multidisciplinary artist based in Petersburg, VA), this exhibition serves as part of the final project for the residency, a culmination of this hyper-collaborative 8-week experience.

𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 is our residents’ statement as individuals and a collective to their peers, our city, and the world beyond.

Opening Friday, August 2
5-8 p.m.
@ ART 180’s Atlas Gallery
114 W Marshall St.

GIVE IT UP TO


Artist, style icon, and as of this week he celebrates his first anniversary as ART 180’s Program Manager!

On passing this momentous milestone at ART 180, Mr. Roquemore had this to say:

“I came
I saw
I learned
But in all reality, it’s been a great journey. The year really flew by, but I’m really excited about where we’re going. I’ve never worked anywhere with so many creative people with different viewpoints and ideas coming together. This is where I feel like I’m supposed to be.”

SO TRUE.
💗💗💗

Enjoy the snapshots from Dallas’ year, from building bonds with young people and teaching artists, his solo exhibition at Atlas, + chat

Ready for the next Easel?

Meet Niyah McGee —alum of our Atlas Artist Residency + the 2024 resident artist —who’s about to bring some serious creative 🔥heat🔥 to the Easel.

Plus is back making THE💗BEST tacos

Thursday
July 18
12-2 p.m.
@ the parklet
in front of
114 W Marshall St

Your creative oasis in the parklet awaits
☮️

Juneteenth, Black Bravery, and Literary Expression: A Chat with Josh Epperson Join Josh Epperson and Jon Cope on the debut episode of EXPRESS YO’SELF RVA PODCAST, exploring Black masculinity, liberation, and creative expression. Discover Epperson’s book “Living on the Edge” and celebrate Juneteenth with insights from Richmond’s cultural scene and the Valentine Museu...

Sign up for ART 180’s new summer offering, the 5-week mural experience, Off The Wall, open to all high school students!

Inspired by Michael Jackson’s ‘Off The Wall’, teaching artists Yoko Nishizawa and Jacob Richard Fonseca will explore mural painting techniques and design, ultimately creating a public exhibition of their work in the parklet in front of ART 180.

Registration for Off The Wall is now open and is offered at no-cost to interested high school students. Head to, www.art180.org/atlas, to secure your spot as space is limited!

Here’s a lil week one recap of our Atlas Artist Residency: foraging discarded materials, sculpture work, yoga, BIG SHOE, Xolani Sivunda Styrofoam planking, and hot glue galore!

Artists are turning trash into treasure, challenging norms, and redefining art.

Thank you to The Well Collective for leading Thursday’s yoga session in the gallery!

is taking over the parklet in two weeks for our next community Easel!
🎨✨
Xolani is a South African painter and mosaic artist who has traveled to the States for the very first time to work with ART 180 this summer, co-leading our Atlas Artist Residency along with .

Xolani creates vivid paintings playing with light and shadows, infused with vibrant color and the incorporation of found objects.

Join us for The Easel to meet Xolani and be part of his creative process. is on deck to take care of your lunch plans!

📅 The Easel: with Xolani Sivunda
🍴 + 1115 Mobile Kitchen
📍 Thursday, June 20
🕛 12-2 p.m.
📍 @ the parklet in front of ART 180
📍 114 W Marshall St.

Just in time for the last day of school, we have a special announcement!

We are thrilled to celebrate the ten talented students joining us this summer for the Atlas Artist Residency at ART 180! Alongside our teaching artists in residence, and , these young artists will explore, collaborate, and expand their creative practice through 100+ studio hours, workshops, trips to museums, galleries, and a special overnight trip to explore and create in Shenandoah National Park in partnership with .

This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity that rewards and resources young artists’ incredible talent and dedication. We can’t wait to see what this group builds together!

has been thinking of monuments for some time.

“Since [2020] I had done a lot of thinking about what would a monument that I contribute to look like? How might the community become involved? What do community-centered monuments look like?

I’m excited to have a chance to think and work through that for the project that we’re focusing on in this residency.

I truly believe everything happens when it’s supposed to, and whatever monument I was supposed to create wasn’t meant to happen alone. It’s cool to think about youth becoming involved with this, those living around the Jackson Ward neighborhood becoming involved, and this artist [Xolani Sivunda] from a different place, and a place that speaks so specifically to the stories, context, history, and culture of my work—it feels like it’s right on time.”

Nastassja joins to lead 10 local high school artists in their own residency over the summer, exploring, growing, and deepening their collective practice at ART 180.

Your post-holiday morning must-read is here!

Richmond Free Press puts the spotlight on Xolani Sivunda, the first international artist we've brought to Richmond to co-lead our Atlas Artist Residency. Learn more about his history, process, and journey from Cape Town to Richmond!

Personality: Xolani Sivunda Xolani Sivunda doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t honing his art skills. His joy of art strengthened at age 10 when he would replicate images of soccer players he saw in sports magazines. Ever since he hasn’tstopped pursuing his dreams and using anything he had to channel his artistic tale...

The Easel carves out a space for community members to engage in the process of creating art, not just as spectators but as active participants. The boundary between artist and audience is blurred, allowing energies to swell and impact the artist’s creative journey.

May’s Easel with and was a beautiful example of this community connection, and we can’t wait for the next one!

Join us on Thursday, June 20, from 12-2 p.m. in the parklet to meet and be a part of his process as a new piece of art emerges. Plus, will be on deck, taking care of your lunch needs!

We’re excited to introduce Xolani Sivunda, our new teaching artist in residence, all the way from Cape Town, South Africa. Xolani’s journey to ART 180 is nothing short of extraordinary. Despite significant challenges, delays, and red tape, he secured a visa to share his artistic vision and expertise with our collective this summer. He’ll be leading, alongside Richmond artist , 10 high school artists in their own residency journey very soon.

Xolani believes in the power of cultural exchange: “Art residencies are built on the idea of an exchange between artist and space, student and teacher. There are things I hope to inspire here, and other inspirations that I’ll take back.”

Today is EXTRA special as we celebrate Xolani’s birthday! We’re fortunate to mark this occasion with him while he’s a continent away from his home.

Welcome, Xolani, and happy birthday

🎂🎂🎂

Incredible artists. Beautiful work. Miraculous transformation!

Collaborative Canvas: Mural artists unite to transform Carytown garage with vibrant artistry Four talented mural artists have brought their creative visions to life in Carytown, beautifying the neighborhood with stunning works of art.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the monumental Brown v. Board of Education ruling, a pivotal moment in our nation’s journey towards healing and equality.

In 2019, ART 180, with and , launched the Massive Resilience project, providing young people from with a creative process to examine the roots of racial conflict in America, echoing the spirit of this historic decision. Through art, reflection, and education on Richmond’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, youth explored the history and enduring impacts of segregation.

Just as Brown v. Board of Education dismantled barriers in education, Massive Resilience empowered young people to break down walls of oppression and collectively build futures grounded in justice, healing, and equity.

We take pride in being stewards of the public parklet in front of our Atlas gallery, ensuring it remains a clean, welcoming space for all. The vibrant flora that brings life to this space is curated, purchased, installed, and lovingly maintained by our longtime ART 180 supporter, . Heilbron’s dedication, time, and passion have truly transformed this space into a little green oasis!
🌱
Join us tomorrow for our next Easel event, where you can witness the artistry of , the nourishing talents of , and the beautiful parklet that thrives thanks to Heilbronn’s incredible contributions.
🌷

is in the parklet next Thursday for our next community Easel–your chance to disrupt your day-to-day routine with a jolt of creativity ⚡️

Ham will be creating a new piece, live, and from scratch over the course of just 2 hours, out in the parklet. Flanked by slinging some delicious taco treats, your lunch plans are officially covered!

The Easel: with Hamilton Glass
+ TBT El Gallo
Thursday, May 16
12-2 p.m.
@ the parklet in front of ART 180
114 W Marshall St.

🌟 ACTIVATION ACHIEVED 🌟

Friday’s Block Party was perfect, all thanks to a dedicated collective of people sharing their time, ideas, effort, and talents to uplift creativity as an essential practice. Thank you to everyone that came out or happened upon our Block Party! We hope you explored some new modes of creativity—from screen printing, hand sculpting ceramics, illustration, jewelry making, henna, and yoga—met some incredible artists, and felt charged and fully activated.

Our one-day Atlas Maker’s Space activation (think of it like a pop-up design lab!) was a huge success. The artists in the space captured hundreds of photo portraits and 16 community members were able to create logos for their businesses, brands, ideas, and personal emblems, all offered at no cost.

Now, here’s a non-comprehensive list of big, big thank you’s cause it truly took a village to see it through:
appleclub .paul.18 .studio + so so many others

Now, it’s time to rest, regroup, recharge, and get started on what’s to come!
🌟