Cindy and staff with their mobile art bus.
“One of the beautiful things we have learned … is that when people come together intending to serve others, they often discover that the experience gives something back to them as well.”
Cindy Paullin is the CEO of Art for the Journey, a Richmond-based non-profit delivering best-practice visual art programs to under-resourced communities across Central Virginia. Art for the Journey is a recipient of a CultureWorks 2026-2027 Community Impact Grant to locals artists as Lead Teachers in our communities.
CultureWorks: For those who don’t know, what is Art for the Journey?
Cindy: Art for the Journey is a local 501(c)(3) arts nonprofit dedicated to transforming lives through art and community. We serve people of all ages through art programs designed to promote well-being, social connection, and creative expression.
For more than a dozen years, Art for the Journey has brought meaningful art experiences into schools, hospitals, long-term care communities, community organizations and events, and even correctional settings. We place a special emphasis on reaching people and communities that may have limited access to arts experiences.
With the help of hundreds of community volunteers, our programs reach thousands of people and create opportunities for connection, expression, purpose, and joy. At the heart of our work is a simple belief: Art heals.
CultureWorks: What project or program did you receive a CultureWorks Grant for?
Cindy: CultureWorks awarded funding to Art for the Journey to engage and compensate local artists as Lead Teaching Artists in communities and with populations they feel personally called to serve.
An artist may have a connection to a particular community because of where they live, their own life experience, someone they have cared for, or simply a desire to share their creativity with people who might especially benefit from it.
Through this funding, Art for the Journey can provide stipends that recognize the artist's preparation and teaching time while also helping cover the cost of art supplies. We are seeking artists interested in leading programs with children, adults, older adults, veterans, people living with dementia or disabilities, people experiencing incarceration, and others served through Art for the Journey programs.
The CultureWorks grant allows us to invest not only in the people participating in our programs, but also in the local artists whose talent, creativity, and compassion make these experiences possible.
CultureWorks: How do you see this project impacting the community?
Cindy: One of the beautiful things we have learned through Art for the Journey is that when people come together intending to serve others, they often discover that the experience gives something back to them as well.
We hear it from participants and volunteers alike: creating art together brings joy, connection, purpose, and a sense of well-being.
This project expands that circle. CultureWorks' support allows us to compensate a Lead Teaching Artist, surround that artist with community volunteers, and bring meaningful creative experiences to people who might not otherwise have access to them.
Everyone contributes something—the artist, the volunteers, our community partners, and the participants themselves. The result is much more than an art project. It is community serving community, with art providing the common language that brings everyone together.
CultureWorks: How does Art for the Journey motivate you every day?
Cindy: Every day, I feel honored to be part of a mission built around humans helping humans—and especially a mission where that sense of giving goes both ways.
Art may be what brings us together, but it is the spirit of the people involved that brings the grace and beauty to this work. Watching someone discover creativity, connection, confidence, or simply a moment of joy continually reminds me why this mission matters.
CultureWorks: How can someone get involved with Art for the Journey?
Cindy: Our volunteers make it possible for this mission to reach far more people than we ever could on our own—and you do not need to be an artist to volunteer!
We welcome volunteers of all ages and backgrounds who want to connect with others and help bring the joy of creative expression into our community. Visit www.artforthejourney.org to learn more and sign up to volunteer.
We are also currently looking for local artists interested in becoming Lead Teaching Artists through the stipend support made possible by CultureWorks. Artists who feel a special connection to one of the communities or populations we serve are encouraged to contact cindy@artforthejourney.org.
Whether you participate, volunteer, teach, partner with us, or support the mission, there is a place for you in the Art for the Journey community.
To learn more about Art for the Journey, visit their website here or watch the video below.
