(ARTICLE) FUNDRAISER HOPES TO BUILD MOMENTUM FOR PROPOSED RICHMOND ARTS PARK

Written By: Chelsea Jackson

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

It’s been over two years since Richmond artist Ian Hess began laying down plans for the city’s first public arts park.

“When I first started this, I thought it would be about a year’s worth of work to get approval,” Hess said. “Here we are 2 1/2 years later.”

On Sunday, Little Giant Society, an art-focused nonprofit headed by Hess, held its first fundraiser for the arts park at The Veil Brewing Co. in Scott’s Addition. The event featured four live artists, three DJ’s and a miniature of the park created in collaboration with sculpture artist Matt Lively.

“The reason we’re here today is one to let more people know, but also just to give a sense of how much this is desired for the city,” Hess said.

“A park like this, it needs to be through the city. I think the city saying yes, we want this park here is saying that we want our arts community to flourish. I think it’ll be transformative for the Richmond art scene.”

A small team of three, Little Giant Society includes Hess, architect Katie Cortez and marketing director Ben White.

“The three of us started a nonprofit to help deal with maintenance issues and things like that after the park gets implemented,” Cortez said.

“I think Richmond needs it,” she continued, speaking on why she believes in the project. “I think Richmond thinks it’s a bigger art city than it actually is, and I think that the city is stuck in a lot of old ways. They need to understand that people want this to happen.”

The park, proposed for underneath the Manchester bridge, would serve as an outdoor rotating gallery of local artists.

Examples of existing public arts parks include IX Art Park in Charlottesville and Logit Phase 1 in San Antonio and many more around the United States.

Last year, Richmond was ranked second-best city in the United States for public art by the USAToday Best List. But many Richmond muralists say that there aren’t many opportunities to practice mural painting in the city.

“For anyone who isn’t already really far into the game where they’re getting paid to do professional murals on businesses or buildings, to get into doing it is all on an individual. And a lot of times there isn’t like means to actually be able to learn how to make this happen,” Richmond artist Eli McMullen said.

McMullen was one of the four artists to paint outside of The Veil on Sunday.

“I think having a space where it isn’t just a one-weekend festival or a one-time event, it could just be an ongoing series of not only allowing people to express themselves, but to connect. Having a space where you could go and find this kind of energy and meet people that are like-minded and creative, that would be extremely beneficial for allowing people to feel like they belong somewhere and that they don’t have to worry about prosecution to put paint on the wall,” McMullen added.

Folks were also able to give feedback on the design and concept and suggest a name for the park at Sunday’s event.

Artist Noah Birkeland suggested a few names. His favorite was Troll Town.

“Because it’s under a bridge,” he said. “I feel like the art park is a necessity for the artists of Richmond. It’s very easy for the cool parts of Richmond to kind of get pushed under the rug in favor of big business mostly. These sorts of community-run open spaces are really important, and I think we need more of them in Richmond, and especially for the art scene something like that is really important.”

Hess says that the idea has support from the Richmond Police Department and members of the City Council, including Ellen Robertson, who presides over the 6th District, where the park would be located.

He says the last and biggest yes needed is from the Department of Public Works.

“For Richmond, it makes no sense that this isn’t here already. I think it should have been here in 1970,” Hess said.

“We could have a huge impact with very small cost and maximum outreach, and also bridge the divide between the creative community and the city government in a very significant and tangible way. So that, to me, is worth chasing it down.”

Written By: Chelsea Jackson

ORIGINAL ARTICLE