In 2020, with the completion of the 19th St CIP Infrastructure projects, eight new neighborhood identifiers were added to 19th St in the ViBe Creative District. These custom-designed pillars are located on street corners at the intersections of Parks Ave, Cypress Ave, Mediterranean Ave and Baltic Ave. Painted twice annually, the public artworks assist in creating a sense of arrival to Virginia Beach’s arts district and connect the Virginia Beach Convention Center east to the resort oceanfront. The “V” shaped pillars owned and maintained by the City of Virginia Beach. The ViBe Creative District commissions and pays artists twice a year to paint the murals.
All eight neighborhood identifier murals are located within approximate ½ mile walk and visitors can enjoy convenient on street parking along 19th Street or ample parking lots accessible at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Artworks are planned to rotate twice a year from 2020-2024, allowing for each mural and artist to gain 6 months of exposure. These public artworks are visible 24 hours a day and help create a sense of place and arrival within the arts district. They are lit at night with up lighting from the base of the structures.
The ViBe Creative District welcomed artists ages 18 and older to submit proposals of artwork inspired by water and the environment as part of a street art exhibit in response to the Maya Lin: A Study of Water at Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art. Eight finalists were chosen by the Virginia Beach Public Art Committee and painted live April 22-24, 2022 during daylight hours. The artists are paid $1,000 for their time and talent. The ViBe Creative District is located at the intersection of three water sheds: Lynnhaven Watershed, Ocean Coastal Watershed, and Owls Creek-Rudee Inlet Watershed and has dedicated time and funding to a ViBe Urban Garden effort to promote environmental awareness.
