Black Arts and Culture

VAACC Unveils New African-American Public Mural By Prince In Williamsburg

The Virginia African-American Cultural Center (VAACC) recently unveiled “Peace Quilt,” a new mural by artist Steve Prince in Williamsburg. This public art piece, the third of its kind in Virginia, highlights the region’s Black history and culture and is part of the VAACC’s ongoing statewide efforts to raise awareness of African-American contributions through art.

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VIRGINIA BEACH

The Virginia African-American Cultural Center (VAACC) recently unveiled a new mural by renowned artist Steve Prince in the City of Williamsburg. This is part of VAACC’s statewide effort to raise awareness for Black history in Virginia, via funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

This is VAACC’s third public art mural in Virginia. The first one was in 2022 in Virginia Beach; the second in 2023 in Franklin.

Efforts for the newest public art mural were facilitated by The City of Williamsburg Public Art Council over the last six months, connecting VAACC with Broad Street Realty in Midtown Row for the mural at 200 Monticello Ave, Suite A.

“We are honored to have artist Steve Prince create this vibrant work of public art that speaks to the rich history of Black people in Williamsburg and our great Hampton Roads region,” said VAACC Founder and Chairman Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond. “The VAACC mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, inform and celebrate Virginia’s African-American history, culture and community and to educate the public about African-American contributions in all areas of endeavor. I believe this artwork does just that.”

The VAACC worked with the ViBe Creative District of Virginia Beach and the Williamsburg Public Art Council to identify artist Prince for the mural. Working collaboratively throughout 2024, the partners identified a wall in Midtown Row owned by Broad Street Realty with Prince, who then created a mural rendering. The mural was approved by the Williamsburg Public Art Council and Williamsburg City Council.

Prince calls the mural: “Peace Quilt.” In his Artist statement, he explains his work. “Peace Quilt is a mural about the inextricable connections we have as people. Every culture on the planet has a patchwork quilt-making past because they have gone through seasons of great lack where they had to figure out how to survive with the scraps. The quilt is a metaphor for how we made a way out of no way and that we are made up of disparate pieces that mesh together, for better or for worse.

He continues, “Peace Quilt tells a story about America from the East to the West, and from the North to the South and beckons us to remember the past while moving forward into an untouched future collectively working for peace.”

The Virginia African-American Cultural Center is headquartered in Virginia Beach and is developing plans for a multi-purpose historical museum/community and arts center highlighting African-American history in Virginia.

Last year, ViBe partnered with the VAACC to create an outreach mural in Franklin, Va., utilizing Virginia Tourism Corporation grant funding that was received by the VAACC. ViBe was the coordinating partner that helped find the wall in Franklin and the artist, Seth Lubaton, to complete the mural while VAACC provided the funds.

In 2022, VAACC commissioned its first mural in Virginia Beach’s ViBe District by artist Nico Cathcart of Richmond.