RICHMOND, Va. — The partnership between Richmond art non-profits Virago Alley and Gallery5 will expand programming into Richmond’s historic Jackson Ward neighborhood.
Virago Alley announced this week it would move upstairs above Gallery5 at 200 W. Marshall St.
Amanda Robinson, who founded Gallery5 in 2005 and currently sits on its board of directors, founded Virago Alley which hosts programs such as the Richmond Ren Faire and Warriors in Bloom.
She hopes the collaboration will create new opportunities for educational programming, cultural preservation, artistic development and community engagement.
In a statement, organization leaders reflected on Gallery5’s longtime role in supporting Richmond’s creative community by providing an outlet for under-represented creatives.
"Gallery5 has spent more than two decades serving as a home for artists, performers, makers, and creative voices whose work often exists outside of traditional institutions. The organization has become a cornerstone of Richmond’s independent arts community, fostering creativity, experimentation, and grassroots cultural engagement," the statement read.
Gallery5 originally occupied both floors of the building, but after the property was sold in 2019 and due to maintenance cost, the floors were separated leaving Gallery5 to continue operating only on the first floor.
While Gallery5 hopes to eventually reclaim the entire building, Virago Alley will occupy the top floor for the foreseeable future.
According to a statement by Virago Alley, the new partnership is ideal due to the two organizations' having mutual initiatives.
"Both organizations are rooted in the belief that communities thrive when diverse voices are given room to grow. Both seek to create platforms for artists, makers, performers, educators, and innovators whose work challenges assumptions and expands conversations," the statement read.
Virago Alley focuses on historical education, immersive events and cultural preservation.
Robinson and Managing Director Ash Moore, both of whom also serve on Gallery5’s board, will be creating what the organizations describe as a closely aligned partnership.
"It is about restoring a historic space for community use, creating opportunities for artists, educators, and makers, and reclaiming overlooked histories to ensure diverse voices continue to be heard. It is about preserving places where creativity and individuality are celebrated rather than constrained," their statement continued.
The upstairs space will support Virago Alley’s growing educational and cultural programming while helping the organization work toward a larger vision that includes workshops, studio space for historical artisans and expanded hands-on learning opportunities. Leaders from both organizations said the partnership is about more than sharing a building.
"Together, the organizations demonstrate that reclamation is not only about restoring physical space, but about restoring purpose, expanding opportunity, and ensuring that cultural spaces remain living parts of the communities they serve," the statement read.
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