Complaints come after Richmond police stop Art Walk show

Richmond police officers halted a performance outside Gallery5 during the First Fridays Art Walk last week, fueling complaints that city authorities are trying to thwart the monthly event that attracts thousands of people to downtown.

At about 10:30 p.m., officers stopped the performance of fire twirlers and disbursed the crowd of 200 to 250 over concerns that one lane of West Marshall Street had been blocked from vehicular traffic, said Tom Robinson, a local developer and volunteer for the gallery.

He said Gallery5 has been setting out cones to close a lane of Marshall during First Fridays for several years with informal approval from police. He called Friday's response the latest example of "heavy-handed" action by city officials who are "just trying to disrupt everything in this arts district."

City officials insist that's not the case.

Gene Lepley, a spokesman for the Richmond Police Department, said officers were concerned about public safety and wanted to keep Marshall open as a route for emergency vehicles to VCU Medical Center. He said police reopened the lane after determining the gallery had not obtained a permit to close it.

Amanda Robinson, director of Gallery5 and Robinson's daughter, was hopeful yesterday of getting a permit to close part of Marshall or North Jefferson Street next month but said she doesn't know how her struggling gallery would cover the costs. She complained that city officials don't appreciate what the nonprofit, grass-roots-driven galleries have done to reinvigorate downtown.

"It seems like instead of coming up with these ridiculous tactics to hassle galleries and venues, we need them to assist us and support us," she said.

Christina E. Newton, director of Curated Culture, which coordinates and markets First Fridays, said last week's season-opening event was otherwise a great success, with crisp, pleasant weather and a near-record crowd of 6,000 to 7,000 people.

She acknowledged the ongoing frustrations of gallery owners but said she also appreciates that city officials are trying to allow First Fridays to thrive as they enforce safety and building-code regulations. In response to concerns about packed galleries, the city is allowing gallery owners to apply for a permit that would allow normal occupancy limits to be exceeded during a certain number of days per year.

"I do know attendance has increased dramatically and has caused an increase in logistics," she said.

Tammy D. Hawley, press secretary to Mayor Dwight C. Jones, was unable to say yesterday how many permits had been issued but emphasized that city officials are committed to working with gallery owners.

"First and foremost, we have to keep the safety issues in the forefront," she said.

Tom Robinson said he suspects the scrutiny of First Fridays is part of an effort by the city to direct traffic to the newly opened Richmond CenterStage performing-arts center, a project supported with millions of public dollars.

"They're the epitome of corporate and government art," he said. "I call it the 6th Street Marketplace of art and music because it's going to be an abysmal failure."

Contact Will Jones at (804) 649-6911 or .