At the beginning of 2014, I was accepted into the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. That following spring, I attended the conference with other peers at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY. My research was entirely focused on how art, specifically public art, has positively affected the city of Richmond, VA within the past decade.
Starting my freshmen year of college I conducted personal interviews with local influential people in Richmond such as a filmmaker, a museum account manager, gallery owners, and the current Director of the Virginia Museum for Fine Arts. As well as publications about urban regeneration through creative spaces and public art pieces such as murals. I was intrigued and inspired with the effects of the Richmond Mural Project, local galleries and their community projects, successful exhibitions at VMFA where I had been interning, and VCUarts, on Richmond’s atmosphere, economy, education, tourism, and image. The impression made my public art is not a recent occurrence in the city’s history, but it’s recent impact has played a role in growing businesses and influencing the identity of the city mostly known for being the Capital of the Confederacy.
The conference itself was my first serious public speaking experience where I was truly passionate about what I had studied for two semesters. One day I would love to continue researching art’s positive effects on urban areas and communities in general.