Manchester makes a big investment in public art

While discussing local concerns, the Manchester Alliance sought a way to address blight, with concerns focusing around graffiti.

The alliance helps manage growth and development in the Southside Richmond neighborhood.

“We started looking into doing some graffiti removal, and started talking to businesses and getting their permission to do it,” said Janet Woodka, president of the Manchester Alliance. “What came out of the conversation was, ‘Well, is this really going to work?’” 

Residents asked if a compromise could be found.

“A lot of people said that, ‘Well, if you put a mural there, they respect the mural and it won’t get tagged because they’re respecting each other’s art,’” said Woodka.

Manchester has always had a vibrant art scene, and had once hosted the RVA Street Art Festival. However, a lot of the neighborhood’s older murals had been on buildings that were torn down or painted over. 

“The murals are older, they’re getting painted over, a lot of the buildings have been torn down,” said Woodka. “So, we kind of rejuvenate that public art scene.”

The money came from an initiative approved in 2023.

Manchester, similar to downtown, was designated a “service district,” where an additional tax assessment goes toward improving the neighborhood through initiatives like the Clean and Safe program.

Venture Richmond oversees the collection and use of the funds, a portion of which have been set aside to support more public art in the area. Another goal is to create economic development and community building through the murals.

The effort includes two murals that were created by Richmond artist Taron Sparks, who goes by the name Silly Genius, on the walls surrounding 1212 Hull Street. The walls, which had originally faced a neglected paved lot, were transformed by his art, becoming a space for community events and outdoor seating for Dress Blue BBQ. 

“We are trying to use murals to, one, bring people access to the arts,” said Sparks. “But also, sort of tangential, the response to public art is more foot traffic, and more foot traffic would mean more investment in the community and infrastructure.”

Sparks, who is also the founder of All City Art Club, has been working to bring murals to vacant spaces in the Manchester area over the past decade and began painting his own murals in the region in 2017, with artist Prentice Carroll. 

“It feels like it’s had an impact, as people came up to me as I was working on it,” said S. Ross Browne, a Manchester artist who created a mural located at 1213 Hull Street. “I think public art is important to show that the actual community cares about the people in their community and where they live… The messaging in the public art also reflects that level of care and wanting to see some beautification of their neighborhood.”

Browne expressed that this effort also is an investment in local artists themselves.

“Richmond has a wealth of very talented and creative painters, so oftentimes we don’t have to look any further than the city itself,” said Browne. “So, I think that investment in the arts is an investment in the city.”

This year the effort supported the creation of three murals in the region, and organizers hope to continue expanding across the area.

“We were lucky to have so many amazing artists interested in this,” said Woodka. “And we are hoping to get additional funding to be able to add to the project.”

As more investment comes into the Manchester neighborhood, Manchester Alliance officials said they are seeking to expand the public art focus further and also invest into other community projects, such as a community garden or a public art park. 

“I think we’re feeling good that this was kind of our first really big project that we took on to kind of see to fruition,” said Woodka. “I really hope this gives us momentum to do some other things.”