The Gallery at the Attucks Opens with “Black Voices & Visions”

NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk's historic Attucks Theatre is embarking on a bold new chapter in its storied legacy with the launch of The Gallery at the Attucks, a contemporary visual arts space dedicated to celebrating creativity, community, storytelling and the intersection of visual and performing arts.

Built in 1919, the Attucks Theatre is the nation's oldest theater designed, financed and operated entirely by African Americans. Once dubbed "The Apollo of the South," it hosted legendary performers such as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington and Mamie Smith. Now, more than a century later, the curtain rises on a new venue that brings visual art into dialogue with the theater's rich tradition of performance.

With fresh flooring, paint, lighting and amenities, The Gallery at the Attucks is designed to offer new opportunities for artists to be seen and heard in the same cultural setting and in a contemporary, welcoming environment that reflects the creativity and resilience long associated with the Attucks Theatre.

The inaugural exhibition, Black Voices & Visions, curated by Joan Rhodes-Copeland, executive director of Aspire Gallery, features approximately 50 works by Black artists with ties to Hampton Roads. Selected from an open call, the pieces reflect resonant themes, sophisticated use of color and a high level of professionalism from established and emerging artists.

The public is invited to attend the gallery opening on Oct. 10, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free and guests will have the opportunity to explore the exhibition before and after a featured performance in the theater. Black Voices & Visions will remain on view through April 3, 2026.

Inaugural Exhibition at The Gallery at the Attucks
Friday, Oct. 10
6 - 9 p.m.
Attucks Theatre
1010 Church St.
Admission is Free
For more information, visit www.norfolkarts.net