Rah! Rah! Yay for art!

The latest buzz in Richmond isn’t
about the hot new play, the fresh galleries
or even the hippest dance band – it’s
about the art community’s new voice,
the Art Cheerleaders.

Originally from the School of the
Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, founder
Rebecca Goldberg Oliver recently
re-formed the group in Richmond to
provide a platform for the often-scattered
members of the art community.

“To activate change and relive
creation, come on everybody for some
inspiration! Make art!” the group said
at a performance in front of Gallery 5
this past weekend.

Mary Burruss, producer and freelance
writer for Style Weekly, said she recognizes
the importance of getting the
message out through tongue-in-cheek
methods.

“Artists can whine and whine about
not having money or whatever their
problem is, but it’s so much more fun
to go out there and make people listen
in a funny way,” Burruss said.

After Burruss agreed to help Oliver
with the audition process, a lack
of turnout convinced her to try art
cheerleading.

“We had already become an entity unto
ourselves,” she said.

Backing off had ceased as an option;
Burruss said that even though her intent
had been to stay out of the group, the
medium the performing artists chose
appealed to her.

“Cheerleading is hilarious . and
that’s why people listen, because we’re
not whining. We’re not banging people
over the head.”

The Art Cheerleaders don’t just focus
on chanting, smiling and doing back flips
all day. The bohemian group comprises
Richmond artists from all fields.

Group members are Robbie Kinter,
music director of the dance department;
Billy Christopher Maupin, actor and director;
Kendra Wadsworth, painter and yoga
instructor; Rebecca Behrman, performing
artist; Megan Mueller, fashion designer;
Anne Brennan, writer and producer; and
guest member Harry Kollatz, senior editor
and arts editor for Richmond Magazine
who is training with the group for the
upcoming Wearable Arts show at 1708
Gallery on Nov. 10.

“You’ll notice we all have about six jobs
because we’re all artists and we have to
support ourselves, and here you have to
wear many hats to do so,” Burruss said.

Unlike most cities where multiple
occupations are hard to come by, Burruss
said, Richmond is special in that sense.

“The nice thing about Richmond is .
it’s small enough so you can wear many
hats. You can get access to a lot of things
very easily as opposed to a bigger city
where you have to get pigeonholed for
a while before you can break out and do
something different,” she said.

The Art Cheerleaders have not actually
had their official debut, but they promise
to pop up anywhere fine art needs support.

“We were out at the last First Friday
raising money for our uniforms by having
a bake sale, which is what cheerleaders
do,” Burruss said.

The cheerleaders will be making appearances
throughout Richmond in the
coming months at the Virginia Museum
of Fine Arts, First Fridays and on Nov. 9
with the Richmond Afrobeat Movement
and world-class independent animator Bill
Plympton at the Canal Club.

In early December, the Art Cheerleaders
will also perform at the Firehouse Theatre
with the XF Dance Company.

For more information about the Art
Cheerleaders, go to oliverfinearts.com and
click on Art Cheerleaders.