CultureWorks Blog
Stay updated with the latest stories and experiences from CultureWorks.
Tucked into the heart of Forest Hill, 43rd Street Studios is the newest creative home for Richmond’s growing ceramics community and the vision of artist and educator Joanna Gragnani. A Richmond native with over 15 years of experience working in clay, Joanna creates under the name Objects Arsenal, crafting organic, hand-built forms that proudly carry the fingerprints of their making. Her work celebrates process, texture, and the intimate connection between artist and material.
Read MoreWe’re excited to introduce Emily Crawford, our Office Assistant and the friendly face who helps keep CultureWorks running smoothly every day. From supporting daily operations to assisting with events, communications, and community outreach, Emily plays a key role in ensuring our team and our partners have what they need to thrive. With strong organizational skills, a welcoming spirit, and a passion for the arts, Emily brings both reliability and heart to the CultureWorks office. In this spotlight, we’re thrilled to share more about the person who helps keep everything (and everyone!) moving forward.
Read MoreWe’re thrilled to introduce our new Development and Grants Specialist, Jeff Ashworth, whose career spans more than 15 years of innovation in print and digital publishing. With experience building high-impact content ecosystems, scaling creative teams, and shaping editorial identities for globally recognized brands, he brings a rare blend of strategic vision, storytelling expertise, and operational leadership to CultureWorks.
He’s bringing that same creativity, precision, and big-picture thinking to CultureWorks by helping us strengthen our funding efforts and support the arts and culture community across the region. In this spotlight, we’re excited to share more about the storyteller, strategist, and problem-solver joining our team.
Read MoreCatie-Reagan King brings both creative insight and community passion to her work as CultureWorks’ Marketing Consultant. A familiar face in Richmond’s community theatre scene, she blends her background as an actor with her expertise in storytelling and strategy to help amplify the voices of local artists and organizations. Whether she’s crafting content for artoberVA or highlighting the vibrant creativity across the region, Catie-Reagan is dedicated to ensuring the arts remain visible, accessible, and celebrated. In this spotlight, we get to know the person behind the messaging and the artist behind the scenes.
Read MoreSince joining CultureWorks in 2024, Calie Bain has brought her passion for accessible, transformative art to the Richmond and Tri-Cities region. With a multifaceted background as an actor, arts activist, and educator, she has spent her career working alongside communities of all ages, using the arts as a catalyst for dialogue, empowerment, and connection. As an ensemble member with The Conciliation Project, Calie has created thought-provoking work at the intersection of art, social justice, and advocacy, collaborating with organizations from the National Education Association to the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics. Her artistry has also been recognized by the Richmond Theatre Community Circle. In this spotlight, we’re excited to share how Calie is helping to ensure a thriving, sustainable, and inclusive arts landscape for all.
Read MoreAs both a native of the Tri-Cities and an artist himself, Daniel Jones brings a deep personal connection to his work at CultureWorks. Since joining the team in 2022, he has been dedicated to strengthening the arts and culture landscape in Hopewell, Petersburg, and Colonial Heights through innovative programs, community partnerships, and artist-centered support. Daniel understands firsthand the transformative power of creativity, and in this spotlight, he shares how CultureWorks is helping that power flourish across the region.
Read MoreFor more than two decades, Crossroads Art Center has been a creative hub where artists and art lovers meet in the heart of Richmond. Home to hundreds of local and regional artists, the center showcases everything from paintings and photography to sculpture and fine crafts—offering an ever-changing reflection of the region’s vibrant arts community.
Read MoreConflux Dance Theater moves with purpose — blending strength, vulnerability, and storytelling into every step. This Richmond-based company brings together artists from diverse backgrounds to create choreography that speaks to connection, identity, and community. During artoberVA’s 10th celebration, Conflux invites audiences to experience dance not just as performance, but as conversation — one that flows, collides, and ultimately unites.
Read MoreFor the 10th annual artoberVA billboard, the Richmond skyline will play host to more than just light and color: it will carry the bold visual voice of Christina Nicole Designs, an artist and creative studio whose work thrives at the intersection of geometric abstraction and narrative energy. With this marquee commission, her design takes center stage, inviting viewers to pause mid-drive and absorb a moment of visual poetry woven into the urban fabric.
Read MoreRichmond thrives on creativity, and few places capture that energy quite like Wine & Design. More than just a paint-and-sip studio, Wine & Design RVA blends art, community, and collaboration to create experiences that reflect the city’s unique spirit. From team-building workshops and DIY crafts to philanthropic partnerships that give back through their Paint It Forward program, the studio continues to shape meaningful connections through art. We sat down with the team to learn how they’re bringing Richmond’s culture to life—one brushstroke, craft, and gathering at a time.
Read MoreThe Richmond Tattoo & Arts Convention has brought together world-class tattoo artists, painters, performers, and creators for one of the city’s most anticipated cultural events. It’s more than just body art—it’s a celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, and community. This year’s event promises incredible talent, unforgettable performances, and plenty of inspiration. Stay tuned to our Instagram on October 1 for a chance to win VIP tickets to experience it all up close!
Read MoreNestled within Richmond’s historic Branch House, the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design invites visitors to explore the intersection of art, innovation, and community. Housed in a stunning example of early 20th-century Tudor-Jacobean architecture, the museum goes beyond static displays; it activates conversations on how design shapes our lives, inspires creativity, and enriches our shared spaces.
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