Workhouse Arts Center Board Director Tim Rizer to Receive 2025 ArtsFairfax Philanthropy Award
LORTON, VA – May 22, 2025 – ArtsFairfax has named Tim Rizer, longtime Fairfax County resident, business leader, and Board Director of the Workhouse Arts Center, as the recipient of the 2025 ArtsFairfax Philanthropy Award. The prestigious honor recognizes exceptional leadership and sustained financial commitment to the advancement of the arts in Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.
Mr. Rizer will be recognized at the 2025 ArtsFairfax Awards Luncheon on October 24, 2025, at Capital One Hall in Tysons, Virginia.
“The 2025 ArtsFairfax Award honorees demonstrate how the inclusion of arts in learning leads to innovation,” said Stuart Holt, President & CEO of ArtsFairfax. “When we invite artistic practice into other areas of our lives, including the study of math, science, and technology, we are celebrating creative and critical thinking.”
Tim and Barbara Rizer
(photo credit: Nancy Hessler-Spruill)
A Legacy of Philanthropy and Civic Engagement
For more than six decades, Tim Rizer has made Fairfax County his home—not only as a resident, but as a passionate community builder. After earning degrees from Emory & Henry College and the University of Tennessee, Rizer founded Item, Inc., an international distributor of printer and copier supplies, and led the company for over 45 years. He has since taken on leadership roles in real estate investment, serving as President and Managing Member of G & G LLC, and Managing Member of Marto 2 LLC and Occoquan Overlook, LP.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Rizer has long demonstrated a deep commitment to civic leadership. He is a past President and Land Use Committee Chair of the South County Federation and a founding Chairman of the South Fairfax Chamber of Commerce. Alongside his wife, Barbara, he is an active supporter of the Lorton Community Action Center, and he has contributed to key planning efforts in the Mount Vernon and Lorton communities, including his current role on the Lorton Vision Task Force.
Championing the Arts at Workhouse Arts Center
Mr. Rizer’s impact on the arts has been most visible through his 16-year tenure as a Board Director and former Chairman of the Workhouse Arts Foundation. Under his stewardship and generosity, the Workhouse Arts Center has expanded its reach and facilities, emerging as a vibrant hub for arts, education, and community engagement in Northern Virginia.
Rizer has consistently been one of the Center’s largest individual donors and has provided seed funding for major initiatives across the musical, visual, and performing arts. His philanthropic leadership has supported capital projects such as:
The Rizer Pavilion, which hosts outdoor concerts, performances, and events
The Glass Hot Shop and Ceramics Kiln Yard
The Performing Arts Theater
The upcoming Music Barn, currently under development
He is also a key sponsor of annual cornerstone events including the Workhouse Fireworks Celebration, Workhouse Ball, and the Workhouse Golf Classic.
“Tim’s unwavering generosity and vision have profoundly shaped the Workhouse Arts Center,” said Keith Gordon, CEO of Workhouse Arts Center. “His leadership exemplifies what it means to invest in both people and place. He has not only advanced the arts in our region but helped define what community-driven cultural stewardship looks like.”
Rizer and his wife, Barbara, have been married for 49 years and are the proud parents of four children and grandparents to twelve—all of whom call Fairfax County home.
About the ArtsFairfax Awards
The ArtsFairfax Awards celebrate individuals and organizations whose contributions strengthen the region’s creative economy and cultural life. The annual event raises the visibility of the arts throughout Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. Attended by local, state, and federal officials, business and community leaders, and arts supporters, the luncheon includes a reception, awards ceremony, and opportunities to network with leaders in philanthropy and culture.
Proceeds from the event directly support ArtsFairfax’s mission to sustain the local arts ecosystem through funding, programs, and strategic initiatives. In the year ahead, priorities include expanded resources for individual artists, building on the findings of the Fairfax Regional Artist Survey.
To learn more about the 2025 ArtsFairfax Awards or to purchase tickets, visit www.artsfairfax.org.
The ArtsFairfax Awards Luncheon celebrates individuals and organizations whose contributions elevate the cultural landscape of Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. Proceeds from the event support ArtsFairfax programs and resources for artists, arts organizations, and audiences throughout the region.
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 11:15 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Hyatt Regency Reston, 1800 Presidents Street, Reston, VA 20190
Tickets & Sponsorships: www.ArtsFairfax.org/Awards
For media inquiries or interview requests, please contact:
Nancy Hessler-Spruill
Director of Marketing, Workhouse Arts Center
Email: nancyh@workhousearts.org