CultureWorks is thrilled to announce the seventh annual artoberVA – a month-long celebration of arts and culture in the Richmond and Tri-Cities region throughout October.
ArtoberVA strives to uphold the belief that strong communities are built through the power of shared arts and culture experiences across disciplines – deepening connections, transcending barriers, and changing the trajectory of lives.
While we are still experiencing the social and economic impacts of the global pandemic, CultureWorks has adapted artoberVA to accommodate new social norms and health precautions to ensure that communities can continue to safely engage in arts and culture. In spite of these challenges, access to the arts remains crucial as the creative culture embedded in our region continues to be a beacon for inspiration and hope. During artoberVA’s seventh year, CultureWorks aims to continue elevating a variety of diverse arts and culture offerings, by and for everyone, with an intentional focus on cultural equity.
artoberVA reaches deeper into the region through key focus areas:
Collaborations: In-Person and Virtual
Cross-pollination among different disciplines in art, culture, and local business strengthens our community by exposing audiences to new experiences. We will spotlight local collaborations all month long.
Family-Friendly Events
Families that engage in experiences together are stronger for it. Teaching our children to enjoy arts and culture is an important step in creating future artists and audiences. You will find educational events, online resources, and family-friendly experiences on our Arts & Culture Calendar throughout the month of October and year-round.
Creative Pop-ups
Free, accessible, and spontaneous pop-up experiences are not only fun, but they also draw new audiences and increase visibility of our region’s local arts and culture offerings.
Art in New Locations
Inclusive arts and culture experiences that provide interactive opportunities are an important way to connect with all populations throughout the Richmond and Tri-Cities region.
“Every year, artoberVA shines a new light on the incredibly vibrant arts and culture offerings from across the Richmond and Tri-Cities region. With so many events happening in-person and virtually, all month long, there is no better time to get back to what you already love, and to discover something new that you may love for a lifetime!” says Scott Garka, president of CultureWorks. 
Plan your artoberVA experience through our interactive Arts & Culture Calendar, and learn more about the mission. Capture your favorite moments and share photos via social media by tagging us @artoberVA.
New and/or renewed in 2022
Leave Your Mark Mural Fest at Three Notch’d Brewery RVA: Join the CultureWorks team at Three Notch’d on Saturday, October 1, starting at 2:00pm as we kick off artoberVA with a spectacular community celebration. Our friends from Art on Wheels and a myriad of local, talented muralists, such as Nico Cathcart, Dathan Kane, Wingchow, and more, will be on site collaborating and creating live. Come together and leave your mark on the Richmond community.
ArtoberFest at Petersburg Iron Works: Join us for a Tri-Cities arts culture showcase at Artoberfest on October 22, from 2:00 to 9:00 PM at the Appomattox Iron Works presented by Main Street Petersburg, Old Towne Builders, and CultureWorks. Artoberfest features live music and spoken word performances, live work and auction by local artists, kids’ art activities, art & craft vendors, t-shirt screen printing, a mural unveiling, food & beverage, and more.
Community-wide Spotlights: Do you have a creative project for us to highlight? What inspires you to be creative? Contact Piper Lynch (piper@richmondcultureworks.org) to share your stories in written, video, or audio form. Do not forget to follow us on social media, as we will post your submissions throughout artoberVA.
CultureWorks’ Arts & Culture Calendar: Our calendar is filled with safe and accessible artoberVA events! The arts and culture community has come together again to provide all kinds of experiences, in all kinds of spaces and places…even virtual! As a result, the artoberVA calendar will be full and lively with hundreds of opportunities to engage throughout the month.
Limited Edition Cityscape T-shirts: Bonfire and CultureWorks are collaborating again to offer t-shirts designed by local artist Ajah Courts through our friends at Studio Two Three. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to CultureWorks.
#ArtsHuntRVA: What IS #ArtsHuntRVA? Well… it’s a scavenger hunt – but not your average scavenger hunt. Instead of hunting for objects, you will hunt for arts and culture organizations! Once you arrive at a location, locate the arts hunt poster, scan the QR code to learn more about the organization, and watch exclusive video content curated just for you! Be on the lookout for clues to finding secret locations and win prizes.
Since 2016, artoberVA has prioritized increased access to free arts and culture experiences through collaborations with individual artists and community-based organizations.
Every October, in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities month, CultureWorks presents artoberVA to promote events, pop-ups, exhibits, performances, collaborations, and any arts or cultural experience happening in the Richmond and Tri-Cities region.
The momentum behind artoberVA drives broader participation in arts and culture events and expands the exposure of artists, organizations, and venues that are shaping our region’s vibrant creative ecosystem. Each year, there are hundreds of artoberVA experiences to enjoy during the month of October. Visit the Arts & Culture Calendar and see all our region has to offer!
Also, it is not too late for artists, organizations, and businesses to get involved. To learn more, visit www.artoberva.com.
artoberVA is made possible in part due to the support of our generous partners: Bank of America, The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, Altria, Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, Capital One, National Endowment for the Arts, Virginia Commission for the Arts, McGuireWoods LLP, Three Notch’d Brewery, Troutman Pepper, and Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.
CultureWorks is an independently funded 501(c)(3) organization that values diversity and inclusivity and believes everyone in our community should have access to arts and culture, as well as the opportunity to express their culture through the arts.
CultureWorks is committed to strengthening artists and arts and culture organizations to drive community health and success. We will accomplish this through grant opportunities, deepening access to communities with barriers, increasing the capacity of small and medium-sized organizations and individual artists, and the promotion of events to the public.
