If you’ve ever sipped a latte at Roastology or ducked into Shelf Life Books — formerly Chop Suey — for a new read, you may have seen the logo for Richmond Young Writers. In the last few months, you may have noticed the sign has changed. A stylized pink-and-white sign reading QUARRY now hangs in front of 2707 W. Cary St.
Richmond Young Writers was founded in 2009 as a program to bring together writers under 18 from around the Greater Richmond area. They moved out of the space above Shelf Life in 2017, though the sign on the door remains untouched. In April of this year, they rebranded as Quarry.
According to founder and executive director Bird Cox, Quarry grew out of RYW after years of hearing adults wish they could participate too. Quarry — whose operations still include RYW — provides opportunities of all kinds to artists of all ages. The building on West Cary functions as a co-working space, a teaching center, and a home base for all of Quarry’s multi-faceted operations.
During the day, Quarry serves as a space for a few long-time members to come and work. Then, from 5-7, RYW’s after-school programs take over. Several nights a week, the space offers programs for adults — workshops like “Ted Lasso for Writers” and “Living Fibers: Quilts as Documentation.”
Cox says that Quarry’s priority, first and foremost, is on people. The organization functions on a sort of hybrid open/membership-based system in an effort to build community. Interested and aspiring artists can register for individual classes, or sign up for a full membership.
Want to learn more about Quarry? The group posts updates, opportunities, and all sorts of fun on Instagram.
