The ICA, including the Abby Moore Cafe, will be closed from Friday, April 17 to Monday, April 20 for our annual gala, cafe hours will resume April 21. Galleries will reopen May 1 for MFA Thesis Round 2.
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Cultivating Space for Freedom: A Look into Black Food Justice (John R Lewis Memorial Lecture)

Cultivating Space for Freedom: A Look into Black Food Justice (John R Lewis Memorial Lecture)

John R. Lewis Memorial Lecture Series is dedicated to John R Lewis, a VCU graduate who died in 2021, was an activist in Richmond and Roanoke. He worked on food security and social justice issues. He helped found the nonprofit Renew Richmond, which runs urban community gardens and teaches youth to love the process of growing food.

This year’s lecture will highlight the work of the Reparative Land Justice Storytelling Project – a community of community researchers; emerging food justice leaders who have come together to listen to and learn from the stories of BIPOC leaders, elders, and farmers in Central Virginia’s Black food sovereignty ecosystem.

There will be a panel discussion followed by a Q&A. Four panelists from the community researcher team will present snippets of video interviews that have been collected thus far and speak to the work they have been doing. Doors will open at 5:30 with the lecture starting at 6 PM.

Panelists:
Art Burton
Ellis Sawyer
Danielle Freeman Jefferson
Kai Banks
Dr. Alice Freeman

with Duron Chavis moderating

Curators Talk: 2026 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition

Friday, Apr 24

6:00 PM–7:00 PM

event

Mindful Mornings: Art by Chance

Saturday, Apr 25

10:00 AM–11:30 AM

event

April: Mend Friend Meetup

Saturday, Apr 25

12:00 PM–2:00 PM

event

2026 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition, Round 2

Friday, May 1 – May 17

exhibition

First Friday! 2026 VCUarts MFA Thesis Exhibition Opening (Round 2)

Friday, May 1

5:00 PM–9:00 PM

event

MFA Thesis Performances and Screenings (Round 2)

Saturday, May 2

6:00 PM–9:00 PM

event

ICA Study Hall Spring 2026

Sunday, May 3

10:00 AM–10:00 PM

event

Author RVA: Andrew Martin, Down Time

Tuesday, May 5

5:30 PM–8:00 PM

event

5.6 Round 2 MFA Thesis Screenings

Wednesday, May 6

6:00 PM–7:30 PM

event

Mindful Mornings: Glenstone

Friday, May 15

12:00 PM–5:00 PM

event

Mend Friend: May

Saturday, May 16

12:00 PM–2:00 PM

event

Bubbles Con: Films by Akino Kondoh and Carlos Gonzalez

Saturday, May 30

8:00 PM–10:00 PM

event

First Friday! Exhibition Opening: Abigail Deville: Deo Vindice (Orion’s Cabinet) / Kadist Summer films

Friday, Jun 5

5:00 PM–9:00 PM

event

Abigail DeVille: Deo Vindice (Orion’s Cabinet)

Friday, Jun 5 – Aug 18

exhibition

FERTILE RESISTANCE: KADIST Collection-in-Residence

Friday, Jun 5 – Aug 18

exhibition

Friday, Jun 26 – Jun 28

event

Diane Severin Nguyen: WAR SONGS duet

Friday, Sep 18, 2026 – Feb 21, 2027

exhibition

Cassi Namoda: Life Is The Seamstress of Dreams

Friday, Sep 18, 2026 – Feb 21, 2027

exhibition

Tony Cokes: Texts, Tracks, Talks (1992 – 2026)

Friday, Sep 18, 2026 – Feb 21, 2027

exhibition