In October of 2025, Port City and ArtHouse RVA celebrated the installation of our new permanent mural, brought to life by award-winning painter and muralist Nico Cathcart in an inspiring collab with Richmond's Brown Ballerinas for Change. Local artists were invited to submit proposals for their ideas for this large mural space through a Request for Qualifications, and the many fantastic submissions made picking just one a rather difficult decision! Ultimately a submission by Nico Cathcart won our hearts the most, in tying together the nature of the James, inclusion, and diversity in the arts in a truly unique way. 

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Nico Cathcart—a Deaf/Hard of Hearing artist originally from Toronto and now rooted in Richmond—is a member of the all-women’s paint crew Few and Far. Celebrated for her strikingly realistic and soul-stirring murals across the country, her work is also honored in the permanent collection of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Recognizing her dedication to storytelling, she has earned national accolades including the National Mural Award, the Susanna Kelly Art Award, and a spot among Culture Candy’s Top 40 Artists to Watch. At its heart, her art speaks to resilience, environmental care, and the power of representation, uplifting diverse voices and shared human experiences. 

 

The mural was officially unveiled during a community celebration on October 25, 2025. 

The event brought the Port City and surrounding community together with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a powerful live performance by Brown Ballerinas for Change, local food trucks, art activities, and a gallery exhibition centering on the theme of “Motion.”

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To learn more about Nico's work and vision, explore her inspiring TED Talk or watch the Emmy-winning documentary Mending Walls.

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