Storefront for Community Design and Historic Richmond will partner for a seventh year to host the Golden Hammer Awards to recognize professionals and community members improving our neighborhoods.
Do you have a project that was completed after January 1, 2022? Application fees are $75 for businesses, $15 for nonprofits, and $10 for community member entries. Applications must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on September 10, 2023.
Cyane Crump, Historic Richmond’s Executive Director noted, “Last year, the collective work of our nominees reflected innovative solutions to address contemporary issues, marking a year of progress towards a more vibrant Richmond with more housing, more food, more parks, more history and more education. We can’t wait to see the creative projects submitted for 2023’s Golden Hammer Awards!”
Become a Design Mentor for City Builders
Are you a professional designer and interested in getting involved in our City Builders Design youth program? We are looking for three (3) qualified design professionals to become design mentors during our 12-week program this fall. Design mentors will receive a stipend for participation along with the reward of developing the next generation of designers. Apply by Friday, August 26 to be considered.
Design Mentor Roles and Responsibilities
Provide mentorship to students throughout the 12-week program
Assist the Youth Innovation Director and the Storefront team to design hands-on activities and implement them during workshops.
Assist students with projects, studio time, and various tasks during the weekly workshop.
Review student projects and provide constructive feedback.
Design Mentor Requirements
Currently working or has experience working in a design career such as architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, graphic design, etc.
Commit to a minimum of 10 in-person workshop sessions (2.5 hours each) out of the 12 workshops offered. Weekly workshops will take place on Tuesday or Thursday evenings this fall.
Be available to meet for two hours between workshops as needed.
Experience with teens ages 13-18 preferred but not required.
Pass a background check.
The City Builders fall semester will take place at Storefront’s office at 205 E Broad Street. The program will kick off on September 29 and will run through mid-December.
About City Builders Design Workshop:
The City Builders Design Workshop is a semester-long program for teens ages 13-18 with a vision to engage the next generation of designers and grow urban youth leaders.
Join Storefront’s Advisory Council: Nomination form now open
Storefront for Community Design’s Advisory Council is a group of enthusiastic community members who are passionate about community voice, equitable design, and collaborative partnerships. This is a newly forming group that will supplement the Storefront team and board’s skills and help advocate for Storefront’s mission. The Advisory Council is also a great steppingstone for non-profit board service.
The nomination form is now open for the Advisory Council and will close on May 27, 2022 at 12:00pm. Review of applications and selection of members will take place in June. The first meeting will take place in July.
The Advisory Council’s purpose:
Provide technical expertise or advice in areas such as youth education, design education, architecture and planning, finance, fundraising, community building, event planning, advocacy, etc.
Help to spearhead and/or fundraise for a special project or event
Provide an independent sounding board for the Board of Directors
Serve as an advocate for the organization
The Advisory Council will include up to eight (8) community members and will meet quarterly (min. 4 times per year; 2 hr. meetings). Members of the Advisory Council are also encouraged to attend board meetings or join a committee if interested. Committees include communications, finance, development, and programs. If you have questions, contact us.
Storefront Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Each year, Valentine’s Day reminds us to purposefully demonstrate love, care, and support for our families, friends, and communities. This year’s holiday also marks Storefront for Community Design’s 10th anniversary and we want to shout a huge THANK YOU for your support in making our first ten years a success.
Since the beginning, we set out to make design accessible to all “for the love of our city.” Through partnerships and community collaborations, we continue to discover new ways of seeking Richmond's physical and social transformation through design and community voice. After an incredible ten years, we remain humble, yet excited for the possibilities that lie ahead for our organization, partners, and neighbors.
Our Board of Directors, staff, and partners are excited to celebrate this milestone anniversary throughout the year, so stay tuned for ways to get involved. To kickstart our celebration, here’s a few ways you can show your support today.
Donate to Storefront to support our next ten years
Volunteer as a Session Designer
Share our story with your network
Whether you’ve been with Storefront from the beginning or just a short time, we wanted to celebrate our anniversary with a look back over the last ten years. Enjoy the memories and accomplishments of our community and we look forward to making many more with you in the coming years. Now, it’s time to celebrate!
Storefront Welcomes New Executive Director and Youth Innovation Director
Storefront for Community Design is excited to announce the selection of Shawn Balon as its new Executive Director.
Shawn brings a wealth of experience in design, non-profit, and educational environments with expanded knowledge of organizational management and strategic planning. He has the strategic vision necessary to elevate Storefront for Community Design and its programs in the years to come and will bring a creative, innovative, and collaborative approach when working with staff, board members, donors, partners, volunteers, and the community-at-large.
“I appreciate the board’s confidence in me, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to lead such a great organization. It will take innovative and purposeful solutions to create a path for Storefront for Community Design to continue addressing the challenges in our communities, and I look forward to advancing my efforts to focus on the importance of participatory design to honor differences, challenge injustices, and create vibrant neighborhoods,” said Balon.
An Equitable Richmond
Dear Storefront Family and Friends,
The senseless murder of George Floyd in Minnesota, along with the shootings of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and so many lives before them still leave me speechless. To the Black and Brown communities, families, and youth that we serve: know that we see you, we love you, and we’re here for you.
Systemic racism and injustice are diseases that still plague our country and have directly impacted communities of color, more specifically African Americans. This disease is not just limited to corporate America. It manifests itself in the built environment all around us; the places where we live and work. From redlining to urban renewal, there are countless examples of policies that have created hierarchies within the larger context of the city. Not all neighborhoods are considered equal, and not all individuals have access to the same opportunities for economic prosperity. This is no different in our city…and that’s why Storefront was created.
Golden Hammer Awards 2019 are now OPEN!
2019 GOLDEN HAMMER AWARDS WELCOMES NOMINATIONS
Richmond, VA – June 4, 2019 – Historic Richmond + Storefront for Community Design will co-host the Golden Hammer Awards on Thursday, October 24, 2019 at the historic Monumental Church. Nomination information for the 2019 Golden Hammer Awards can be found at historicrichmond.com/2019-golden-hammer-awards. Applications must be submitted before 12:00 p.m. (Midnight) on September 8, 2019. The 2019 Golden Hammer Awards are sponsored by Quinn Evans and Atlantic Union Bank.
Historic Richmond Executive Director Cyane Crump said, “We are thrilled to celebrate the projects bringing new life to our historic built environment and the impact they have on our neighborhoods and community. The Golden Hammer Awards aligns with the mission and values of both Historic Richmond and Storefront for Community Design. We are excited to continue this partnership for the third year!”
Projects completed after January 1, 2018 located in the greater Richmond area (City of Richmond, counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico) will be considered for the categories of: Best Restoration, Best Adaptive Reuse, Best New Construction, Best Placemaking, and Best Residential.
“With over 30 submissions last year, and the high quality of work, craftsmanship, and the scale of the nominations, we were delighted to award 10 Golden Hammers!” said Ryan Rinn, Executive Director of Storefront for Community Design. “Teamwork and partnerships have always been critical to preservation and placemaking in Richmond and we look forward to another year of high quality submissions.”
Contact:
Katherine McDonald, (804) 643-7407
kmcdonald@historicrichmond.com
Ryan Rinn, (804) 322-9556
ryan@storefrontrichmond.org
About the Golden Hammer Awards. The Golden Hammer Awards were started in 2000 with a goal of honoring excellence in neighborhood revitalization projects thought Greater Richmond. In 2018, 10 projects were awarded the coveted Golden Hammer Award designed by Richmond artist Jason Adkins. Winners included the Richmond Ballet, 1717 Innovation Center, Jefferson Green Condominiums, Monroe Park, the Institute for Contemporary Art, 125 N. 25th Street, 2013 & 2015 Venable Street, Holly Lawn, Main Street Station Train Shed, and Ellwood Thompson’s the Round Building.
About Storefront for Community Design. Storefront for Community Design is Richmond, Virginia’s nonprofit design resource center. Storefront improves the quality of life in the city by facilitating access to planning and design resources. Storefront matches professional designers who volunteer their time with members of the community to uncover Richmond’s urban potential. Visit storefrontrichmond.org, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @StorefrontRVA.
About Historic Richmond. Historic Richmond is a non-profit organization dedicated to shaping the future of Richmond by preserving our distinctive historic character, sparking revitalization and championing our past and future architectural legacy. We are champions of the past and passionate fans of its future. Visit HistoricRichmond.com, join us on Facebook, and follow us on Instagram @historicRVA.
Awards Ceremony
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Monumental Church
1224 E. Broad Street
Reception & Awards 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion Exhibition To Open February 14
A new exhibition debuting on Valentine’s Day will conceptually reimagine Richmond’s historic Monument Avenue. Opening at the Valentine on February 14, this exhibition follows the Valentine’s Monumental: Richmond’s Monuments (1607-2018), which examined the role and context of more than 40 monuments in and around the city.
Titled Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion, this new exhibition is the result of a multi-year collaboration with the Storefront for Community Design and the mOb studiO at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts.
“In keeping with our mission, the Valentine listened to the debate taking place in the wider Richmond community concerning monuments and what they mean to us today, and we responded with Monumental,” said Valentine Director Bill Martin. “We are excited to take this concept of important and timely community conversations a step further by hosting an exhibition that asks us to question the future of Monument Avenue.”
Last year, the Valentine, Storefront and VCUarts mOb studiO applied for and received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to host an international design competition, which invited teams of planners, architects, designers, artists and individuals to conceptually re-imagine Monument Avenue.
“We received 70 proposals from architectural firms, centers of higher education, artists and many others,” said Camden Whitehead, mOb studiO co-founder and an associate professor of interior design at VCUarts. “We hope that the diverse ideas on display in this exhibition at the Valentine will demonstrate the unique power of design to serve as a catalyst for community discussion and contribute to the important dialogue about race, memory, the urban landscape and public art.”
Submitted concepts will be featured in the exhibition at the Valentine. A jury will also review the submissions and select finalists. The winning concepts, including a People’s Choice Award, will be announced on November 21 at a closing reception hosted at the Valentine.
As part of related programming, exhibition organizers are in the process of planning two community conversation events.
Additionally, from February 16 to April 20, the Branch Museum of Architecture and Design will host the results of a similar design competition specifically for Richmond students in an exhibition titled Monumental Youth.
“The Branch Museum is excited to have the Monumental Youth exhibition in our galleries, as it gives a voice to young people tackling large design ideas in thoughtful and exciting ways,” said Branch Museum Executive Director Penny Fletcher. “In addition, it addresses a pressing design challenge confronting our community and many others – how can we make public spaces, designed a century or more ago, relevant and accessible today? We are proud to be showcasing this important and contemplative work from students in and around Richmond. The Branch Museum is dedicated to bringing exciting and challenging design thinking to our community, and the students represented in this exhibition have done that beautifully.”
Monument Avenue: General Demotion/General Devotion closes at the Valentine on December 1, 2019.
Finalists will be notified on the opening day of the exhibition at the Valentine.
You can read more about the exhibition and competition on our feature on NextCity.