Laura Jane Grace & the Mississippi Medicals bring pure punk rock to the Jefferson on Friday night. Photo by Dave Decker.
Laura Jane Grace found punk rock in junior high school and never looked back. Music became her life and her outlet for processing depression, drug use, trouble with the law, and gender dysphoria. In 1997, Grace formed Against Me!, dropped out of high school, and DIY’d the band’s popularity over the next decade, reaching mainstream success when its 2017 release New Wave was chosen by Spin magazine as the Album of the Year.
Grace came out publicly as a transgender woman in 2012 in a Rolling Stone interview, and in 2016, she published Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout. The lead singer, songwriter, and activist spoke to us via email about her career ahead of her show at The Jefferson Theater on September 13.
C-VILLE: How do you approach creating music that is both politically active and making change?
LJG: Well, the personal is political right? I just write about whatever I’m living and try to dissect and observe the politics that are naturally present.
What current societal issues are you interested in exploring and highlighting in your music right now?
Absurdity and profanity and surrealism as an act of protest and means for survival in a world gone mad.
How does it feel to be performing in a new band with your wife, Paris Campbell Grace, as a vocalist?
It’s been a lot of fun and also challenging. It’s amazing being able to share the most important parts of your life with the person you love most, but also bands are always gonna be bands, and the semi-comical and cliché stresses of group collaboration that go along with being in a band with other people will always be there. Bands are bands are bands.
How has your identity, and heightened visibility, as one of the first openly trans punk rock musicians impacted your artistry and experience in the music industry?
Well, being open has allowed me to be who I am. Being honest with yourself and being honest with your audience is integral to being an artist. I don’t think I’d even be alive if I hadn’t come out.
What’s the most exciting part of touring?
Every day is an adventure with a goal set to achieve, play the show—even if it’s a bad show, you get the show done, you did something, and you get another shot at it all again tomorrow. I like the team spirit, too—being a part of something, working together with other people face-to-face.
What’s the least exciting part of touring?
Answering emails.
What would fans be surprised to learn about you at this stage in your career?
I’m really into personal fitness. I love running and working out and feeling good in my body. I have a black card membership to Planet Fitness and go all the time. Hot Yoga classes, the whole nine. I take it seriously, though I do still tend to eat a bunch of garbage. Ha!
Virginia Women in Wine, a new organization of wine professionals led by Nancy Bauer, finds answers through community. VWW is dedicated to creating the change, support, and resources necessary for women in the Virginia wine industry to thrive. Supplied photo.
The journey to establish Virginia Women in Wine began five years ago with a series of informal get-togethers spearheaded by food and travel writer Nancy Bauer. The gatherings of women who shared a passion for Virginia’s wine industry but found themselves unfamiliar with, or disconnected from, one another grew, and Bauer remembers the moment when the potential for something greater became clear to her. It was during discussions about challenges facing the industry that it dawned on her that “all the answers were in the room.”
The idea that their informal network should be formalized into a nonprofit entity soon emerged. “It became kind of a running joke,” Bauer says. “Shannon [Horton of Horton Vineyards] would always yell across the room, ‘Nancy, you really need to turn this into a 501(c)(3),’ and I’d yell back, ‘Shannon, you have fun with that.’”
On August 6, Virginia Women in Wine, led by Bauer as the organization’s first president, attracted more than 160 attendees for its launch at Eastwood Farm Winery. The event underscores the excitement and support for empowering women in Virginia’s growing wine industry through innovative media and marketing strategies, community-building, networking, leadership development, and promoting career advancement and equity.
Ultimately, a lunch meeting with Horton and Megan Hereford, co-owner of Stuart, Virginia-based Daring Wine & Cider Co., convinced Bauer to move forward. She drafted a grant proposal for the Virginia Wine Board. The proposal was not funded, but it did spark the formation of a dedicated group of women.
“I invited all the women who had ever been to one of our dinners or showed any interest in the idea to put their names on the proposal—50 women signed,” Bauer recalls. This list became the foundation of the organization’s inaugural board, which includes 14 members supported by an additional nine committee members and volunteers.
Bauer estimates that 6,000 or more women are employed in the Virginia wine industry and recognizes that they face some unique challenges. As VWW interviewed individuals to develop an upcoming white paper, issues such as pay inequity, lack of respect, and equipment not designed for women emerged. Additionally, child-care challenges are significant, especially during back to school time, which coincides with the start of grape harvest.
Stephanie Pence, co-owner of Brix & Columns Vineyard in McGaheysville, highlights some of these unique challenges, noting that physical size and strength can sometimes require creative workarounds. She says there is often a reaction of surprise when she’s seen driving her tractor, sometimes in a dress, or arriving to unload pallets from a truck. “I’ve received comments like, ‘I thought you were getting your husband to unload this,’” she recalls. For Pence, such moments underscore the importance of community among women in the industry, for bonding and for problem-solving.
This sentiment is echoed by Seidah Armstrong, owner of Unionville’s Sweet Vines Farm Winery, who says, “I love the fact that VWW is essentially saying, ‘Hey, we see you and we support you!’” She notes that there are often isolated parts of the profession where collaboration is limited. VWW can reduce these workplace silos to foster more connection and resources.
“As a former K-12 administrator, I see continuing education opportunities as a huge challenge for women in the industry,” says Armstrong. “VWW will work to make educational opportunities available for women as they navigate key Virginia-specific issues such as the impact of introducing new varietals or working on creative ways to grow tourism and clientele.”
Athena Eastwood, owner of Eastwood Farm and Winery, emphasizes the significance of representation at all levels, including leadership. “I think it’s important for people to be able to look out and see faces like theirs doing the things they dream of doing,” says Eastwood. “It makes it easier to imagine that you can do it too. When you are a woman just getting started, whether you are working in the cellar or serving on a board for the first time, having another woman in the room or at the table with you can be invaluable.”
Reflecting on the importance of formally organizing as a group, Bauer notes, “This board has reminded me how much more you can get done when you work together.” Admitting that she is “smitten” with the new challenge, she finds the prospect that Virginia Women in Wine might outlast her “pretty exciting.”
For more information or to become a member, visit virginiawomeninwine.com.
The 12-story Verve is one of two large student apartment buildings planned for construction within close proximity to the University of Virginia.
Photo via ESG Architecture and Design.
The governing body of the area’s largest landowner will meet this week with five new members, at least one of whom has significant experience in real estate. Governor Glenn Youngkin’s latest appointees to the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors begin their terms at a time when two private, recently approved student developments are moving toward construction and while UVA seeks to provide more housing for students.
“UVA has committed to expanding its current first-year residency requirement to require all first- and second-year students to live on-Grounds while enrolled at UVA to better support students in their transition to University life, and as residents of the broader Charlottesville community,” reads a May 2024 solicitation for firms to partner to build the housing.
At the same time, two large private developments near UVA continue to make their way through the finer details of the city’s permitting process.
On Tuesday, the Charlottesville Planning Commission formally approved a site plan for the Verve, a 12-story student apartment building to be constructed in the heart of central Grounds. Several dozen apartments at the intersection of Jefferson Park Avenue and Emmet Street will soon be demolished to make way for the new building, which will have 442 units, according to the site plan.
City Council approved a rezoning in January for the Verve despite opposition from UVA officials, who argued the tall building would diminish UVA’s architectural character. The plans were submitted in time to qualify under the city’s old zoning rules, which required significantly fewer units to be designated as affordable. In this case, the developer will contribute $6.8 million to the city’s affordable housing fund rather than build units that are price-controlled.
Earlier this month, the Charlottesville City Council granted approval of another technical step for a 10-story student apartment building at 2117 Ivy Rd. that was approved under the old rules. That project comes with a $3.25 million contribution to the city’s affordable housing fund and required council action to waive a requirement to build sidewalks on all road fronts.
“The waiver request is only for the easternmost portion of the property’s frontage on Copeley Road,” said Dannan O’Connell, a city planner. He added that they will build sidewalks on Ivy Road and a portion of Copeley Road.
Meanwhile, UVA is planning to build up to 2,000 bedrooms for undergraduate students at both the former University Gardens as well as on Ivy Road. The Afghan Kabob restaurant will be demolished to make way for what UVA calls the Emmet North site.
Because UVA owns those parcels of land, the city will not collect property tax revenue but they will for both the Verve and 2117 Ivy Rd. UVA officials want the first units to come online for the fall of 2027.
One of the new members of the Board of Visitors is David F. Webb of Virginia Beach, whose day job is vice chair of development firm CBRE’s Capital Markets Group. Webb is now a member of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, which will meet on Thursday. One item on their agenda is a discussion of student housing.
Pioneering bluesman R.L. Burnside liked to joke that Mississippi has four eyes and still can’t see. But as long as your hearing is good, you’ve likely heard some of the best American music come out of the Magnolia State. The Delta region is considered the birthplace of blues, and Grammy winner Cedric Burnside brings the rhythmic sounds of his birthright to his latest release Hill Country Love. The album title is a nod to the Hill Country Blues style played by greats like Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, Cedric’s grandfather. Get into the groove with a sound that the younger Burnside has occupied since he first went on tour playing drums for his grandfather at age 13.
Tuesday 9/17. $20, 8pm. The Southern Café and Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
Take a seat in front of the silver screen for Light House Studio’s 23rd Annual Youth Film Festival. Student films created over the last year through Light House’s workshops, community partnerships, and Summer Film Academy are highlighted at the YFF, giving attendees a chance to see the public debuts of projects before they screen in the national film festival circuit. With 23 acceptances and nine awards already conferred to Light House Studio productions for the 2023-24 festival season, this show should get two thumbs way up.
Friday 9/13. $17–127.50, 7:30pm. The Paramount Theater, 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. theparamount.net
Former delegate Sally Hudson founded Ranked Choice Virginia in 2021.
Photo: The Smiths.
After moving the ordinance from the consent agenda, Charlottesville City Council voted on September 3 to adopt ranked-choice voting for its June 2025 primary elections.
Ahead of the vote, former delegate and founder of Ranked Choice Virginia Sally Hudson spoke in favor of the new polling method. During her time in the General Assembly, Hudson was instrumental in introducing and passing the state law allowing city councils to choose ranked-choice voting.
“To use the popular parlance of our time, ‘This ordinance did not just fall out of a coconut tree; we exist in the context of all that came before us,’” she said. “In Charlottesville, that context goes back centuries. I hope that you will join the three founding fathers emblazoned on this building in doing your part to build a more perfect union today.”
Every other public commenter, several of whom were there with Ranked Choice Virginia, spoke in favor of adopting ranked-choice voting for next year’s city council primaries.
Council members registered some reservations about the ordinance but ultimately approved the measure by a 4-1 vote.
“I think people who have concerns about it, I think it’s still in good faith, because any time you’re making a change to the way an election works, it’s a big deal,” said Councilor Michael Payne. “I think Arlington shows that it can be done as long as we’re really committed to doing the education and outreach.”
Councilor Natalie Oschrin, Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston, and Mayor Juandiego Wade also spoke in support of the measure, noting that while it is experimental, adoption has the potential for significant positive impacts and could set a meaningful precedent for other localities.
“This has been framed as an experiment,” said Pinkston, who noted ranked-choice voting has been a topic of discussion for the entirety of his time on city council. “I do feel that there is a strong coalition of folks who are aware enough about this, and this is a high information electorate here.”
Despite overwhelming public support for the ordinance at council meetings, Councilor Lloyd Snook ultimately opposed the measure—casting the sole dissenting vote.
“If this vote were only about ranked-choice voting I would have no qualms about voting yes. But it’s not. It’s about ranked-choice voting and single-transferable voting,” said Snook before the vote. “When I’ve tried to explain all of this to people over the past few weeks, I don’t know that I’ve found a single person who understands the practical effect of this—that you vote for the first person to get elected and [with] your second transferable vote, you only get one and a fraction vote. So you have relatively little influence on who the second choice is.”
While Snook’s understanding of single-transferable votes—the mechanism of ranked-choice voting for multiseat elections in Virginia—is mostly accurate, it slightly mischaracterizes the mechanics.
“Everybody has one whole vote. Nobody gets more power than anybody else,” says Hudson. “The suggestion that somebody gets more votes than anybody else is just flat false.”
To understand single transferable ranked-choice voting, Hudson provides the analogy that “your vote is $1 and you’re going to spend that dollar on your first choice. If your favorite winds up with more votes than they need, then you get change back, and that change goes to your second choice.
If your favorite only needs a third of the votes, but they get 40 percent, then they’ve got more than they need, and your support can go to your second choice as well,” she elaborates. “If everybody’s got $1 to spend, then everybody’s got equal power. If your [preferred candidate receives] exactly a third [of the votes], then your favorite is going to need all of your vote just to win.”
Councilor Snook joined the rest of Charlottesville City Council in appropriating $26,460 for voter education and any hardware or software purchases needed for ranked-choice tabulation.
City council will consider whether to more permanently proceed with ranked-choice voting after the 2025 primaries.
HOW IT WORKS
Proportional ranked-choice voting is fairly straightforward on the voter end, but understanding how votes are tallied can be a bit more complicated.
On the ballot, voters rank the candidates based on preference. Voters do not have to rank all candidates if they don’t want to; their ballot will still be counted. Each voter has one first-choice vote regardless of the number of open seats.
Candidates must reach a “threshold” or “quota” to be elected. For example, in an election with three open seats, a candidate needs to get 25 percent of the electorate plus one vote to be elected. (It is impossible for more than three candidates to meet the 25 percent plus one vote threshold.)
In the first round of tallying, only voters’ first-choice candidates are considered. Once a candidate reaches the threshold, they are elected. If all seats are filled in the first round, the process stops here.
If a candidate exceeds the threshold and there are remaining seats, surplus votes past the threshold are redistributed to voters’ next preference candidate. If there are still remaining seats after redistributing surplus votes, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated. Anyone who voted for the eliminated candidate has their vote redistributed to their second choice. The process then continues until all seats are filled.
Jonathan Wright’s stall at Dairy Market is closing, but 434th Street will continue its catering services in Charlottesville. Photo by Tristan Williams.
A new parking policy is coming to Dairy Market, following years of pushback from patrons and vendors about paying for parking. Inside the food hall, things are also changing, with several businesses and attractions arriving at the Grady Avenue spot after a wave of restaurant closures.
While Citizen Burger Stand, 434th Street, and South and Central have closed, Michael Rosen, director of hospitality assets for Tiger Lily Capital, says a certain amount of turnover is normal for a food hall.
“Food halls are interesting,” he says. “You’ve got to keep people on their toes.” The end of several three-year leases has led to a number of restaurants exiting around the same time, but another reason for the closures has been ownership fine-tuning its selection of vendors.
Some restaurants, like South and Central, decided Dairy Market wasn’t the best location for their concept. Tiger Lily Capital, the parent company of Stony Point Development Group (the developer behind Dairy Market), owns both South and Central and Milkman’s Bar, but it ultimately decided the upscale Latin American restaurant didn’t fit at the food hall, which opened in late 2020.
“South and Central from the beginning was an awesome concept, and it was just kind of an unfortunate location,” says Ashleigh Gorry, managing director of South and Central and Milkman’s Bar. “A concept like this would have thrived somewhere on Main Street, where people are going out in fancy clothes, looking for a nice place to eat.”
According to Gorry, South and Central chef Kelvino Barrera is looking to open another restaurant in Charlottesville sometime in the next six months to a year.
Other factors that contributed to the August 31 closure of South and Central include the restaurant’s location in the market, price of seasonal menu items, and cost of renting the large space, says Gorry.
Current and outgoing vendors, along with Rosen, confirmed that rents at Dairy Market have not increased since businesses signed their original leases—though there has been some adjustment in the structuring of stall agreements. Rent rates also vary dramatically from location to location, from $1,000 to “possibly into double digits.”
New restaurants coming to the market include an Americana burger concept, Sizzle Shack, a Nepalese and Indian street food restaurant, Currylicious, and two unnamed-but-known concepts—a smoothie place and a coffee-shop-and-bakery combo. The businesses are set to open soon, although Rosen could not give an exact timeline.
Other additions include a kids room, yoga studio, and lobby renovation, though the most intriguing and untested concept is slated to be, as of press time, an unnamed diner-tainment venue in the South and Central space.
“There’s something very exciting coming over there that I think will benefit everybody at the Dairy Market,” says Rosen. “You need something more than just food to draw people in.”
Currently, the average visitor spends roughly 68 minutes at the food hall. With the addition of the diner-tainment concept later this winter, and events like the University of Virginia Coaches’ Corner, Rosen hopes to increase the average time spent at Dairy Market to between 90 minutes and two hours.
“Here in Charlottesville, you’ve got a couple places you can shoot pool. Darts, not really, there’s not really any place in Charlottesville. If you want to go bowling, you’ve got to go all the way out to 29,” says Rosen. “We’re going to have something over here that will benefit all ages.”
Several restaurants and bars in the Charlottesville area host darts, including Decipher Brewing, Belmont Pizza, and Lazy Parrot, and there is also the Charlottesville Dart League.
One of the most exciting changes coming to Dairy Market for vendors and visitors alike is the move to free parking.
“We’ve heard people loud and clear,” says Rosen. “In the very near future [we’re] going to a free parking structure here.”
Restaurateurs like Dino Hoxhaj have been pushing for free parking at Dairy Market for a while and are excited for the change.
“The only reason why the landlord wanted to have paid parking was because we were worried that neighboring businesses will park here,” says the Dino’s Pizza owner. “We have one hour of parking now anyways, and then on Monday, it’s two hours of parking.”
Milkman’s Bar Manager Addison Philpott says free parking has been a priority for a long time, with the topic coming up frequently at monthly vendor meetings. Rosen could not give an exact date for when the parking policy will change, but confirmed it is in the works.
The Center at Belvedere 540 Belvedere Blvd. “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” 20 portraits by Robert Shetterly of Americans who have courageously stood up for social justice, environmental stewardship, and the preservation of democratic ideals. September 3–21. “Landscapes and More,” featuring paintings and pastel works by artists Matalie Deane, Joan Dreicer, and Julia Kindred. September 3–October 31. Reception October 9, 4–6pm.
Chroma Projects Inside Vault Virginia, Third St. SE. “Meridian Drift,” explorations of land-mapping processes by Giselle Gautreau and “The Culture of the Earth,” interpretations of gardens and landscapes by Isabelle Abbot, Fenella Belle, Lee Halstead, and Cate West Zahl. Through September. First Fridays reception 5–7pm.
Create Gallery at InBio 700 Harris St. “Et in Arcadia Ego,” acrylic paintings referencing Christian Mysticism, Sufism, and Buddhism by Will Grover. September 4–27. First Fridays opening reception 5–7pm.
Will Grover at Create Gallery at InBio.
Crozet Artisan Depot 5791 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. “Whimseys,” paintings by Judith Anderson and “Simple, Graceful and Purposeful Pottery,” ceramic works by Becky Garrity. Through September 30. Meet the artists event September 14, 11am–1pm.
C’ville Arts Cooperative Gallery 118 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. “Living On A Whim,” silhouette jewelry by Dana Masters. Through September. First Fridays opening reception 5–7pm.
The Fralin Museum of Art at UVA 155 Rugby Rd. “Barbara Hammer: Evidentiary Bodies,” features an immersive multichannel video installation. Through January 26, 2025. “Celebration” features works by five African American artists highlighting the ways these artists honor history, culture, and heritage through various media. Through January 5, 2025. “Structures,” a selection of 20th- and 21st-century works exploring the ways that art can speak to or question the formal, physical, environmental, social, and institutional structures of our world. Through July 20, 2025.
Armando Mariño at The Fralin Museum of Art at UVA.
Ix Art Park 522 Second St. SE. “The Looking Glass,” an immersive art space featuring a whimsical enchanted forest and kaleidoscopic cave. Ongoing. “Art Mix at Ix,” a night of painting, music, and cocktails at the outdoor art park. Workshops by Art by Blossoms and Paint It Orange. First Fridays, 6pm.
Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA 400 Worrell Dr. “Shifting Ground: Prints by Indigenous Australian Artists from the Basil Hall Editions Workshop Proofs Collection,” curated by Jessyca Hutchens, featuring work by 22 Indigenous Australian artists. Part I through October 6. Part II October 12, 2024–March 2, 2025. “Our Unbroken Line: The Griffiths Family,” screenprints on textiles, ceramic works, and paintings curated by Dora Griffiths. Through December 8.
Jefferson School African American Heritage Center 233 Fourth St. NW. “Toward a Lineage of Self,” a map-based exhibition presenting origin stories of historically Black Charlottesville neighborhoods using the JSAAHC’s extensive property and oral history archive. Opens September 21 and is ongoing.
Les Yeux du Monde 841 Wolf Trap Rd. “Picasso, Lydia & Friends, Vol. V,” organized to honor the memory of acclaimed Picasso scholar Lydia Csato Gasman. Featuring works by Pablo Picasso, Lydia Gasman, William Bennett, Anne Chesnut, Dean Dass, Rosemarie Fiore, Sanda Iliescu, Megan Marlatt, David Summers, and Russ Warren. September 13–October 27. Opening reception September 13, 5–7pm.
Lydia Gasman at Les Yeux du Monde.
The Local 824 Hinton Ave. Paper collages made from vintage books by Campbell Bright. Through September. Reception September 8, 2:30–4pm.
McGuffey Art Center 201 Second St. NW. In the Smith Gallery, three concurrent shows entitled “Aaron Farrington: Wet Plate Portraits,” “Charlene Cross: Enamel Glass Artist,” and “Charles Peale: Collage.” In the First Floor Gallery, “Sugah: Black Love Endures,” presented by the Charlottesville Black Arts Collective. In the Second Floor Gallery North, “Gallery Wizardry Behind the Scenes—The Art of the Cast that Makes it Happen,” a group exhibition featuring Gallery Committee members from 2023-2025. In the Second Floor Gallery South, “Ann Cheeks and Friends,” a group exhibition featuring Ann Cheeks and artists from The Center at Belvedere. In the Associate Gallery, “Portraits,” a group show of works from MAC associate art members. All shows run September 5–29. First Friday reception 5:30–7:30pm.
Jill Kerttula at McGuffey Art Center.
Mudhouse 213 W. Main Street, Downtown Mall. “The Willowers,” paintings, sculpture, and mixed media works by Tim Burgess. Through October. First Fridays opening reception 6–8pm.
New City Arts 114 Third St. NE. In the Welcome Gallery, “fallow,” A group exhibition featuring work by 2024 New City Arts Fellows Eboni Bugg, Brielle DuFlon, Elena Yu, and M. Pittman. September 6–25. First Fridays reception 5–7:30pm.
Northside Library 705 Rio Rd. W. “BozART in the Library,” a group show featuring works by the BozART Fine Art Collective. Through September.
The Paramount Theater 215 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. The Third Street Box Office Project. “Ascending Light,” an exhibition by Nick Brinen. Through September 17.
Phaeton Gallery 114 Old Preston Ave. “Soundings,” an exploration of the intersection of creativity and spirituality, featuring paintings by Donna Ernest and Daniel Tucker alongside photography by Blakeney Sanford. September 6–October 6. First Fridays opening reception 5–7pm.
Donna Ernest at Phaeton Gallery.
The PVCC Gallery V. Earl Dickinson Building, 501 College Dr. The 2024 Student Art Exhibition, celebrating the accomplishments of student artists from the latest academic year. Through September 7.
Quirk Gallery 499 W. Main St. “Funny Money,” an exhibition of Stacy Lee Webber’s found-object based works, including hand-stitched paper currency and hand-sawn coins, curated by Diana Nelson. Through September 29.
Ruffin Gallery UVA Grounds, Ruffin Hall, 179 Culbreth Rd. “The Threat, The ,” an indoor and outdoor exhibition that examines and rewrites spatial, material, sonic, and performative languages of security, sovereignty, and revivalism in the Global North by The Institute for Improvisational Infrastructures. Through October 4.
Second Street Gallery 115 Second St. SE. In the Main Gallery, “Teeny Tiny Trifecta 7,” featuring over 181 artists and 543 works of art. September 6–27. VIP presale party and fundraiser September 5 from 5–8pm. In the Dové Gallery, “Curiouser and Curiouser: A Dialogue in Abstraction with William Bennett and Carol Barber,” showcasing sculpture by William Bennett and painting by Carol Barber. September 6–27. Artists in Conversation and gallery tour with William Bennett and Carol Barber September 25, 5:30–6:30pm. First Fridays opening reception 5:30pm.
Carol Barber at Second Street Gallery.
Studio Ix 969 Second St. SE. “Part of the Process,” prints and objects examining the intersection of tactility, memory, nostalgia, and relationships in an embodiment of soul and self by Catherine Stack. September 6–29. First Fridays opening reception 5–7pm. Artist talk September 26, 5–6pm.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville 717 Rugby Rd. “Lighting the Darkness,” sculpted paper artwork and evocative paintings by Flame Bilyué. September 4–October 31.
Visible Records 1740 Broadway St. “Aesthetics of Care,” fiber-based and mixed-media works by Vibha Vijay and Virginia Gibson. September 6–October 25. First Fridays opening reception 6–10pm.
Art collectors big and small cheer Teeny Tiny Trifecta 7, an exhibition and fundraiser to launch the 51st season of Second Street Gallery. The show features more than 181 artists who contribute three works each that do not exceed 8 inches x 8 inches. With hundreds of choices, and each piece priced at $100, SSG broadens access by allowing more collectors to take home a bite-sized work of contemporary art. Outreach programming, a family studio day, and artist-led workshops accompany the annual celebration.
Friday 9/6-9/27. Free, 5:30pm. Second Street Gallery, 115 Second St. SE. secondstreetgallery.org
New York-based Native Sun has a head-on initiative to champion social change, whether it’s activism around the climate crisis, national political unrest, or public health concerns. Colombian-American singer-songwriter Danny Gomez, along with Nico Espinosa (drums), Justin Barry (bass), and Jack Hiltabidle (lead guitar), play punk songs that explore the complexities of our time. The new single “Too Late” is a “rallying cry for the downtrodden who choose to persevere in spite of an uncertain future,” Gomez told Grand Jury Music.
Wednesday 9/4. $18, 8pm. The Southern Café & Music Hall, 103 S. First St. thesoutherncville.com
