New City Arts Initiative

📚 Read with us! For our next New City Read, June/July exhibiting artist, Ruby Zielinski selected “The Well Gardened Mind” by Sue Stuart-Smith. We’ll meet on at Welcome Gallery on Wednesday, June 24 from 6-7:30PM to talk about the book, take in Ruby’s work, and share snacks. ➡️ RSVP here: https://newcityarts.org/events/new-city-reads-june-2026

📌 Facilitated by local arts educator, Emily Hagan Lazaro, New City Reads is a book club with art. Each of this season’s exhibiting artists is selecting a book that connects with their work. New City Reads gatherings are free.

📖 Featured books will be available for a 10% discount when you mention New City Reads. Additional copies will be available at Central Library.

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ID: The image features a person holding the book “The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature” by Sue Stuart-Smith. The book has a white cover with the title and author’s name printed in green. An illustration of a human head filled with leaf patterns is centered below the title. The background appears to be an outdoor area with visible potted plants and a wooden surface. The bottom part of the image displays text on a muted green background, promoting an event called “New City Reads” with the date and time, “June 24 | 6-7
:30 PM”, along with the logo for “Welcome Gallery.”

🎉THANK YOU SO MUCH! At last Wednesday’s Spring Gala & Art Auction, nearly 200 of you walked the red carpet and joined us for a glittering celebration of art and community at the Violet Crown (link in bio for photos!). We’re thrilled to share that you all helped us raise $101,715 to fund our programs for Charlottesville-area artists. 🥂

❤️ New City Arts is truly community-powered! From participating artists to the sponsors who made the event possible, and enthusiastic auction bidders to can-do volunteers, we’re so grateful to each and every one of you. A big thank you to our Blockbuster Sponsor: Ann Hay Hardy of Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty ( ); Marquee Sponsors: , , , and ; to our Star Sponsors: , , AHB Studio and friends (), Annie Galvin & Lindsay Meck, Carrington Alvarez & Shreve Ariail, Emily & Anthony Lazaro; Marysunny & Michael Luegering; Nicole & Ashley Snyder; Rachel Baker & James Burnett; Sarah & Derrick Waller; and to our event sponsors, , , , , , Pura Photo (), .blue, , , Professional Art Handling (), , and .

📸 Photo 1 by Big Day Poloroids. Photos 2, 4, 6-19 by Alisa Foytik. Photos 3, 5, 20 by Kori Price Photography. Maureen’s FUND THE ARTS embroidered blazer by Annie Drury of .

📣In collaboration with Ivy Creek Foundation (ICF) and supported by the Anyanwu Fund at CACF, New City Arts invites Charlottesville-area artists to submit site-specific artworks activating the Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm honoring the site and its history. ➡️ Head to the link in our bio to learn more and to apply.

✏️ We welcome proposals from a wide variety of artists including but not limited to writers, painters, musicians, photographers, sound, performers, filmmakers, etc. Three artists will be selected by a community panel to receive acess to a designated site at Ivy Creek; a $1,000 stipend; access to free & discounted services at local arts spaces; projection mapping equipment and technical support from The A/V Company if applicable; and the opportunity to publicly share their work at a show case and
celebration at Ivy Creek in mid-November.

❓Questions? DM us!

Image descriptions in comments.

🖼️ Work by these 18 wonderful artists will be available to bid on in the Silent Auction at our Gala & Art Auction on May 6. This year’s Art Auction is presented by Ann Hay Hardy of Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty. 📌 Head to the link in our bio to browse Live & Silent Art Auction work and to purchase your ticket before they sell out! Want to see the work in person? Join us at Welcome Gallery on Friday, May 1 for a free, public in-person preview from 5-7:30PM.

🎉 We’re so grateful to these artists for participating in the Silent Auction. They are generously donating 50-100% of the proceeds from the sale of their artwork to benefit New City Arts programs like Welcome Gallery, residencies, fellowships, and more.

📣 We’re thrilled to announce the artists participating in the ✨Live Auction✨—presented by Ann Hay Hardy of Frank Hardy’s Sotheby’s International Realty— at the New City Arts Gala & Art Auction on Wednesday, May 6 at Violet Crown. These artists are generously donating 50-100% of the proceeds from the sale of their artwork to benefit New City Arts’ programming. Swipe to preview the work and learn more about each artist.

👀 Want a closer look? ➡️ Head to the link in our bio to browse all art auction online now + join us for an in-person First Friday preview (free and open to the public) on May 1.

🎟️ Tickets are still available, but they’re selling out fast! We’ve got a link in our bio for that, too. Join us for the whole Gala, for just the after party, or in spirit (and bid by proxy).