Touting Richmond as a capital of creativity

June 27, 2011

Published in the Richmond Times Dispatch

While the Richmond region's creative community is a powerful force in generating ideas, industry and art, it sorely needs to shout its accomplishments from the nearest mountaintop, a newly formed collaboration of businesses and creative leaders say.

The first step to get the word out was taken Thursday with the official launch of i.e.*

"For 15 years, we've been having this conversation about how this needs to happen, but we've had enough conversations and need more action," said Andy Stefanovich, an executive with the global branding firm Prophet and founder of local branding firm Play. He also is an organizer of the i.e.* launch.

More than a dozen community organizations and businesses joined forces to create i.e.* — a three-year initiative that aims to "transform this city from a Civil War attraction into a nationally renowned hotbed of creative talent."

Thomas A. Silvestri, president and publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and chairman of the Greater Richmond Chamber, said the idea for the partnership came from the chamber's inner-city visits to Raleigh, N.C., and Austin, Texas.

Those cities, he said, weren't shy about touting their strengths, and neither should Richmond.

"We have to start believing we are the capital of creativity," Silvestri said.

The idea behind i.e.* is to tell the Richmond region's creative story and highlight the innovation and world-class work being done here, he said.

Highlighting the area's creative elements can help bring companies here, retain students who might otherwise move elsewhere after college graduation and help spur further innovation.

Thursday's launch, an all-day creative summit held at contemporary home furnishings retailer LaDifférence's store in downtown Richmond, was a way to begin telling that story.

The who's who of Richmond's creative scene came out in mass to talk up what they do to an audience of about 200 made up of a cross-section of the community, from khaki-wearing businesspeople to jean-clad artists.

Those attending included David Kalman, who is helping spearhead the bid to bring the 2015 World Road Championships to Richmond; Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones; and Peyton Rowe, the Virginia Commonwealth University advertising professor behind the school's annual CreateAthon marathon creative blitz.

"I'm here to see what this is all about," Rowe said.

Jones said he attended to lend support to the movement.

"We need to embrace the creative energy, and the city needs to create a platform for the energy to be released," he said.

Several sessions were held with executives and artists talking about the work being done here.

The speakers, many whose work has a global reach, included Mike Hughes, president of The Martin Agency; artist Ed Trask; and Cam DiNunzio, principal composer at Black Iris Music, a Richmond-based music production company.

Stefanovich said the speakers and the event are a way to introduce the far-reaching impact of the work being done locally.

Kim Scheeler, president and CEO of the Greater Richmond Chamber, said his organization will begin to better publicize the work — locally and to other markets.

"We need to find the stories and communicate them to the rest of the world," he said.

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