Artsline: Virtual Edition || March 22, 2021
“I raise up my voice—not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” Malala Yousafzai
Women’s History Month is still upon us and our local arts & culture community keeps bringing great art, history, and performances to give voice to the vast contributions women make to our society - even those who were and are held back. RVA and Charlottesville are offering fantastic explorations into diversity in literature and highlighting a past that is often overlooked. Get out and enjoy all that our region has to offer!
1. I SEE MYSELF: DIVERSITY IN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Literary Art
March 25, 4pm
Online
The Virginia Festival of the Book brings Angela Dominguez ( Stella Díaz Dreams Big), Vashti Harrison ( Little Dreamers), and Dub Leffler ( Once There Was a Boy) to discuss the importance of diversity in children’s literature and how their past and current projects embrace inclusive storytelling, from stories that highlight Mexican-American childhood and include Spanish vocabulary, to books that celebrate Black leaders and engage with Indigenous Australian identity and history. Register for this free event.
2. FIRES IN THE MIRROR
Theatre
March 26 - April 25, times vary
Online and at Firehouse Theatre, 1609 W. Broad Street, Richmond, 23220
$33/in-person and live-stream
Anna Deavere Smith’s wrote, Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities after the Crown Heights neighborhood erupted in three days of violent race riots in August, 1991. The play is constructed from twenty-six monologues that are verbatim interviews that Smith conducted in the aftermath of the violence. Directed by Katrinah Carol Lewis and produced by Firehouse Theatre, the show will offer severely limited seating capacity of a maximum of 10 audience members per performance, as well as other safety protocols. Select performances will be live-streamed. Purchase tickets online.
3. SOUNDSCAPE.SOCIAL
Music
March 25, 7:30pm
Online
Join Classical Revolution RVA for a featured concert in soundscape.social, an interactive website that allows listeners to move through a sonic space, enabling musicians and audience members to interact with one another in real time. Soundscape.social offers different environments for each of the four featured performances: Classical guitarist Denver Walker plays a set of Renaissance lute pieces, followed by Brazilian arrangements including “Two Note Samba;” Netherlands-based Albert Manders and Hinse Mutter play an arrangement of one of Mutter’s “cloud” pieces; Pittsburgh-based jazz duo Ryan Salisbury and Brad Fichter play jazz improvisation; and Richmond-based flautist Deb Saidel and violinist Treesa Gold play a set of miniatures. You must download the application to participate in this free event.
4. WILTON UNCOVERED: ARCHAEOLOGY ILLUMINATES AN ENSLAVED COMMUNITY
History, Visual Art
March 24, 10am opening
Wilton House Museum, 215 S. Wilton Road, Richmond, 23226
$5/person
“Wilton Uncovered: Archaeology Illuminates an Enslaved Community,” displays scenes from daily life at Wilton House in the 18th and 19th centuries. This exhibition will be the first to highlight what was at its peak the largest enslaved community in Henrico County and the largest collection of artifacts original to Wilton ever exhibited at the historic house. Wilton displays this collection alongside local artist Dennis Winston’s poignant woodcut renderings of the community that used, loved, broke, resented, played with, and discarded the artifacts. Self-guided tours for the exhibit are by registration only.
5. FINETUNED FESTIVAL
Music
March 22 - April 2, weeknights, 7pm
Online
The Center for Leadership and International Relations at James River High School presents FineTuned - a virtual music event to bring more people into the music community. FineTuned provides interviews each weeknight featuring some of the greatest minds in music in RVA. Listen to Daniel Myssyk, Andrew McGraw, Brian Rollins, Desiree Roots, and Christ Golden in the first week. Whether a musical novice or pro, this free series is for you. Tune into their YouTube channel to participate.
6. "DON'T FORGET THE LADIES": THE WOMEN IN JOHN MARSHALL'S LIFE
History
March 23, 12pm
Online
$10
Preservation Virginia offers this special Women’s History Month virtual tour of the John Marshall House. While hardly a feminist by modern standards, John Marshall held a great admiration for the many strong and intelligent women that surrounded him throughout his life. This tour will explore the lives of Mary "Polly" Marshall, Mary Marshall Harvie, Agnes Spurlock and many other women who occupied and experienced the spaces in this Richmond home. Register online.
7. 4TH FRIDAY ART SHOWS AND OPENING RECEPTION
Visual Art
March 26, 5pm
Art Works, 320 Hull St, Richmond, VA 23224
Art Works opens four new exhibits: The Things We Say When We Break the Line from Inge Strack and Danny Trent, An Uncolored Point of View from Perry Matthews, The Art of Nature from James Sheehan, and Art Works’ juried show Recycle Me. Meet the artists and enjoy live music. Following COVID19 mandates, Art Works will limit each exhibit/gallery to ten guests. Register to attend this free event. Exhibits continue through April 17.
8. THE BROWN-LYONS LECTURE, FEATURING PETER BEINART
History, Literary Art
March 23, 12pm
Online
Journalist Peter Beinart discusses his book The Crisis of Zionism at the 35th Annual Brown-Lyons Lecture, presented by VCU Library. About the book: The deepening occupation of the West Bank is putting Israeli democracy at risk. The refusal of major Jewish organizations in the U.S. to defend democracy in the Jewish state is alienating many young liberal Jews from Zionism itself. The Crisis of Zionism lays out in chilling detail the looming danger to Israeli democracy and the American Jewish establishment's refusal to confront it. The talk will be followed by a Q&A. Registration is required for this free event.
9. GELLMAN ROOM CONCERT: TOGETHER WE ARE MORE
Music
March 27, 2pm
Online
Richmond Public Library features the husband and wife music duo, Hand In Glove, for their March Gellman Room Concert. Hand in Glove brings the sounds of jazz and R&B classics while telling their inspirational love story. Register for this free event.
10. RICHMOND (SHORT) STORIES VIRTUAL MINI-TOUR
History
March 24, 10am
Online
Join The Valentine for Richmond (Short) Stories, their new virtual mini-tour series. Twice a month on Facebook Live, a Valentine guide highlights an object in their permanent exhibition in five minutes or less, with time for audience discussion afterward. Share a few moments of your day exploring some of the fascinating, diverse and surprising objects from Richmond’s history.
If you are an arts or cultural organization with social-distance-safe events such as online classes, virtual exhibitions or concerts, or even book readings, submit your events to Artsline here. If you are an artist or an arts or cultural organization in need of resources and tools during the COVID-19 pandemic, check out the list of local and national resources from Richmond CultureWorks.