2026 SPECIAL SESSION I
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2011
Celebrating the life of the Honorable Marian Van Landingham.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, April 23, 2026
WHEREAS, the Honorable Marian Van Landingham, a respected public servant, devoted community leader, and passionate artist who reshaped cultural life in Alexandria through her visionary contributions to the establishment of the Torpedo Factory Art Center, died on April 4, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Marian Van Landingham grew up in Albany, Georgia, and received bachelor's and master's degrees from Emory University in Atlanta; she also pursued formal education in the fine arts at the Art Institute of Atlanta; and
WHEREAS, Marian Van Landingham began her career in public relations with Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, then moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked for federal agencies and served as a press aide and speechwriter for a member of the United States House of Representatives; and
WHEREAS, in the 1960s, Marian Van Landingham settled in Northern Virginia, first in Shirlington, then in Alexandria; she quickly became a pivotal member of Alexandria's emerging arts community as president of the Art League; and
WHEREAS, in 1973, amid efforts to develop a larger home for the Art League, Marian Van Landingham saw an opportunity to transform the former torpedo plant on Alexandria's waterfront into a working arts center, where visitors could gain a greater appreciation for the arts by watching painters, sculptors, printmakers, and craftspeople hone their talents; and
WHEREAS, Marian Van Landingham worked with city officials and the Alexandria Bicentennial Commission to secure funding for the project, then led a team of fellow artists to revitalize the property, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to the endeavor by personally helping to clear debris, paint, fix leaks in the roof, and improvise creative solutions to the challenges of cleaning and renovating the long-abandoned space; and