We’ve Got You Covered! Richmond Artists Work Together to Make Masks For Essential Workers

The first few weeks of the COVID-19 crisis knocked us off of our feet. As a community arts organization, the core of Studio Two Three’s work is to gather together to make things with our hands. For the first time in 10 years, we were faced with a scenario that prevented us from doing what we do best.

According to The Science of Helping Out, an article published by The New York times on April 9th, “much of the scientific research on resilience – which is our ability to bounce back from adversity - has shown that having a sense of purpose, and giving support to others, has a significant impact on our well-being.”

In times of great need, it turns out that we’re better off when we help others. After two weeks of question marks and exclamations, we picked ourselves off of the floor and started organizing to find new ways to come together and build with our community.

To this end, Studio Two Three is proud to be helping to lead a collective of skilled artists and makers, known as the Richmond Arts and Cultural Workers Coalition. This coalition includes our partners at 1708 Gallery, VCU Arts, VCU daVinci Center, Legend Property Group, and the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond.

Together, we are rapidly producing durable and reusable protective face masks for a diverse group of essential workers, including medical staff, home and public health care workers, behavioral health workers, bus drivers, and individuals working with homeless and at risk populations. This initiative was inspired and mobilized by VCU Educator & Artist Jon-Philip Sheridan, who has been working to connect resources to ensure that our city has the masks it needs.

The crisis of COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted Richmond's essential workers who put themselves at risk for our health and wellbeing. Among those most impacted are our neighbors who have faced systemic inequality before this crisis, many of whom are not able to work from home or afford childcare at this moment.

We know from flu research that widespread mask-wearing can help decrease transmission rates when utilized alongside frequent hand-washing and social-distancing. These actions are cumulative: the more we do to limit exposure, the more the risk is reduced for all of us.

We officially began our mask making efforts on site at Studio Two Three last Monday (April 6th) and have already produced over 600 masks. Our first delivery was made to the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority, whose workers have in-person contact with individuals in recovery or who are in need of mental health services each week