The Cultsha Xpo gives away $75,000 to local nonprofits
Over 70 area nonprofits will be in one room this Saturday to raise money in a fun way.
This Saturday, at the 2012 Cultsha Xpo, 73 arts and culture nonprofits will share $75,000. Richmonders will have the choice of donating money (in the form of “cultsha bucks”) to any one of the participating area organizations.
Attendees will be given a 16-page program with a list of the participating nonprofits and a brief summary of each organization’s mission. Cultsha Members (membership is free) will be given envelopes containing between $10 – $100 worth of cultsha bucks to disperse among nonprofits of their choosing.
John Bryan, President of Culture Works, the group behind the event, said that the Cultsha Xpo will “allow people to learn about the nonprofits” in the area and support them financially. The event will also have 70 random door prizes, including a Kindle, plus live musical and visual performances.
Some of the participating nonprofits at this year’s Cultsha Xpo include:
- 1708 Gallery
- Edgar Allan Poe Museum
- Virginia Historical Society
- ART 180
- Richmond Public Library Foundation
- Gallery5
- Community Ideas Stations
- James River Writers
- Visual Arts Center of Richmond
The Cultsha Xpo premiered last year, and Bryan said attendance went “far beyond our expectations.” Bryan said that last year’s participating nonprofits had “non-stop strangers coming up to their booth saying: I don’t know your organization. Tell me about it.” This year, the Cultsha Xpo will have nearly 50% more space at the Science Museum for attendees and nonprofits to interact.
“We had a great time at Cultsha Xpo last year and are excited to participate again this year,” said Emily Smith, executive director of 1708 Gallery. “It is a great opportunity for the gallery to engage with a wide and diverse audience…”
“I think getting that many arts and culture organizations in one place reminds us all of the effect our sector has on life in Richmond,” said Dr. Paul Levengood, president and CEO of the Virginia Historical Society, one of the nonprofits participating in this year’s event for the first time. “And it should remind us all that if we value what our organizations do for our community, we ought to support it.”
Bryan said that the money earmarked for the nonprofits is “icing on a much more important cake”: making people aware of Richmond’s many nonprofit organizations. That awareness translates into membership, volunteering, and other aspects vital to sustaining local nonprofits, which Dr. Levengood said are, “Robust, cooperative, and vital to our health as a community.”
The Cultsha Xpo will take place on Saturday, June 23rd from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM at the Science Museum of Virginia and is free to attend.
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Nathan Cushing
Nathan Cushing is a writer, journalist, and RVANews Editor.
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Free is key! Free to register, park and attend, plus free “stuff” with your Cultsha Bucks! I’ll be there with RVA’s own C3 The Creative Change Center of Richmond. Drop by and we’ll sign you up to take the Creative Challenge!