Photo above: Opening of art instalation "Harbor of Stories" Kempsville.
CoVaBIZ: Michael, you’ve been described as a tireless advocate for the communities you serve. Could you share a bit about your background, and what led you to dedicate a good part of your career so far in the service of the fine arts in Hampton Roads?
Berlucchi: I grew up in Virginia Beach and have spent most of my life here, so my connection to this community is personal and runs deep.
My path into the arts came from passion. I’ve always loved the arts and the way creativity makes me think and feel. I know it can inspire people, bring them together, and shape how we experience the world around us. I made a conscious decision that I wanted the arts to be part of my career. That led me to the Chrysler Museum of Art, and now to Arts Alliance, where I have the opportunity to support many arts and cultural organizations across South Hampton Roads.
I’ve been able to carry that work into my role on City Council, helping advance historic investments in arts and culture. The arts and creative expression help us understand our history, our shared human experience, and how we think about the future.
In March of 2025, you succeeded Lisa Wigginton as CEO of Arts Alliance. What excites you about your role, and how do you define the function of Arts Alliance in our region’s evolving economic and cultural landscape?
Stepping into this role has been a privilege, especially following Lisa’s leadership and the foundation she built. I’ve valued the opportunity to work closely with our board president, Lewis Webb III, and the members of our Board, who bring tremendous insight and leadership to this work.
What excites me is the opportunity to help shape what comes next. Arts Alliance has a strong history of supporting the arts, investing more than $26 million since 1987, and that work matters. But there’s an opportunity to build on that and make sure the arts are fully a part of how we think about economic growth, as well as talent attraction and retention across South Hampton Roads.
At its core, Arts Alliance exists to provide operating support to arts and cultural organizations. That’s our foundation. Beyond that, I view our role as both connector and advocate, bringing together business, government, and the cultural community, and aligning efforts. The arts are not separate from economic development—they’re a key part of it.
We’re in a moment where regions are competing for people and investment. My focus is making sure Arts Alliance is helping lead that conversation and ensuring our region’s arts organizations have the support they need to grow and succeed.
How would you describe the current relationship between the arts community and the business sector? Where are you seeing meaningful partnerships, and where is there still untapped potential?
Strong and improving, and with room to grow.
We’re seeing meaningful partnerships where businesses recognize that investing in the arts is also an investment in the region’s quality of life and economic competitiveness. Many of our corporate partners support Arts Alliance and individual organizations, and they’re seeing value not just philanthropically, but as part of a broader strategy tied to economic prosperity and addressing outmigration, which is one of Hampton Roads’ most pressing regional challenges.
Untapped potential lies in deeper alignment. Too often, the arts and the business community operate in parallel rather than in true partnership. There’s an opportunity to more fully integrate the arts into conversations around economic development, workforce, and regional identity. Regions that are thriving economically tend to have one thing in common: a strong arts sector and a vibrant creative economy. That is part of the formula.
What do business leaders and arts advocates gain when they invest in or engage with the arts beyond philanthropy, and what’s one way business leaders can engage with the arts that they may not have considered?
When business leaders and arts advocates engage with the arts beyond philanthropy, everyone wins. That has a direct impact on talent attraction and retention, employee engagement, and how a company is perceived in the community. It also helps cultivate a workforce that is creative and connected, something that is especially important at a time when we’re navigating real divisions and increasing digital disconnection.
Business leaders can engage by getting more directly involved with arts organizations, not just as donors, but as partners. That could mean serving on a board, helping with strategic planning, or working with an organization on workforce development, marketing, or operations. There’s a lot of expertise in the business community that can be incredibly valuable to arts organizations, and that kind of engagement is impactful and meaningful for all involved.
What role should local government and regional economic development organizations play in supporting the arts?
Local government and regional economic development organizations play an important role, starting with recognizing the arts as core infrastructure. The arts should be part of conversations around economic development, tourism, workforce, and regional branding from the start.
If you could wave a magic wand and rally the region around one initiative in support of our arts ecosystem, what would it be, and what step or steps do you think could make that initiative achievable over the next 12-18 months?
It would be to more fully integrate the business community with the work of Arts Alliance in support of the entire arts ecosystem.
We serve organizations of all sizes across South Hampton Roads, many of which the business community may not always see or have direct access to. There’s an opportunity to create a more unified approach so that investment strengthens the sector as a whole, rather than organization by organization. That includes our core work providing operating support through our grant process, along with the research and advocacy that help position the arts as essential to the region’s future.
Over the next 12 to 18 months, the focus is on building awareness, strengthening relationships, and creating more opportunities for meaningful engagement.
How do you express the impact of the arts in our region, and how is that story of cultural and economic enrichment being told? How do we generate more excitement and make sure that we’re speaking with a unified regional voice?
I try to express the impact of the arts in terms of both economic value and human experience. The arts support jobs, contribute to economic prosperity, and help define the identity of our region. We have an opportunity to be more coordinated and speak with a stronger, unified regional voice. Arts Alliance has taken deliberate steps to help tell that story more fully.
We’ve partnered with WHRO to support arts reporting, which has expanded coverage and visibility. We’re sponsoring an upcoming arts and culture chapter in the State of the Region report with the Dragas Center, and we will partner with Americans for the Arts on Arts and Economic Prosperity 7, benchmarking the economic impact of the cultural sector here in Hampton Roads, and hopefully the Peninsula, against regions across the country.
Let’s pivot to your personal encounters with the arts. Was there a moment in your life when the arts became essential to you and not simply enjoyable?
I was inspired early on by a teacher I had at First Colonial High School, Mrs. Chapman, in an art history class. She brought an incredible level of passion to the subject and went above and beyond to create opportunities for us, whether that was taking us to the Chrysler Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, or introducing us to other meaningful art experiences.
From that point on, visiting museums and engaging with both historic and contemporary works became an important part of my life. I’ve always been especially drawn to visual art and museums. But now, working in the arts has expanded opportunities for me, giving me the chance to experience and appreciate performing arts such as theater, music, and opera.
What do you love to look at or listen to?
What I love most is the shared experience of looking or listening. Being present with others, engaging with something real, not digital, is powerful and meaningful. In those moments, we learn about a particular work, and learn more about each other and ourselves. We might appreciate the artistry, or we may dislike what we’re seeing, but reflection and conversation is part of what makes the experience so impactful.
If you could invite three people, living or dead to a dinner party with your friends and colleagues, who would they be and why?
I would invite Andy Warhol, Steve Jobs, and Winston Churchill. Each represents a different lens: creative expression, innovation, and leadership during pivotal moments. The best dinner tables are intentionally curated, bringing together people with different perspectives and experiences. I would invite visionary leaders from the arts, business, and public life who are thoughtful, curious, and willing to engage in real conversations where new possibilities can emerge.
