Editing Richmond, Virginia (section)

====Professional performing companies====
From their earliest days, Virginia and Richmond welcomed live theatrical performances. [[Lewis Hallam]] staged early Shakespeare productions in Williamsburg, and Richmond became a prominent colonial and early 19th century performance place for celebrated American and English actors, like William Macready, Edwin Forrest,<ref>Macready, William, ''The diaries of William Charles Macready, 1833–1851, Volume 2'', p. 416</ref> and the Booth family. In the 20th century, Richmond had many amateur troupes and regular touring professional productions. The city's principal performing arts groups include the [[Virginia Repertory Theatre]], [[Richmond Ballet]], [[Richmond Triangle Players]], [[Richmond Symphony]], and [[Virginia Opera]].

Other venues and companies include:
* [[Altria Theater]], the city-owned [[opera house]]
* The [[Byrd Theatre]] in [[Carytown, Richmond, Virginia|Carytown]], a 1920s [[movie palace]] that features second-run movies and hosts the [[French Film Festival]]
* Leslie Cheek Theater at the [[Virginia Museum of Fine Arts]]
* Dogwood Dell, an amphitheater in [[Byrd Park]]
* [[National Theater (Richmond, Virginia)|National Theater]] 
* [[Richmond CenterStage|Dominion Energy Center]], which includes the Carpenter Theater
* [[School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community]]
* [[Virginia Credit Union Live!]]

Commercial art galleries include Metro Space Gallery and [[Gallery 5]] in a newly designated arts district. Not-for-profit galleries include Visual Arts Center of Richmond, 1708 Gallery, and Artspace.

In 2008, a new {{cvt|47000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} Gay Community Center opened on the city's north side. It hosts meetings of many kinds and includes a large art gallery space.