The tenacious Amalia Pizzardi at Carytown’s The Gallery Art & Design is new to town, but she hasn’t let that stop her from jumping into the arts scene.

Pizzardi isn’t just going along with our art walk or getting involved in the Hispanic community, though. She’s also trying to tie Richmond to the greater international arts community. Because the Richmond gallery is just one in her portfolio of galleries (including one in Mexico City and one in Milan), she already had some experience on the global scene.

In her biggest outreach effort yet, Pizzardi has organized an international photography contest and gala called Colors of Life, which will be held in the Grand Ballroom of The Jefferson Hotel Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. The $200-a-ticket event will raise money for the Transitional Care Unit of Children’s Hospital. Info at www.the-gallery.it.

The remarkable thing is: Of the 28 finalists in the photography contest, nine are from Richmond, such as Dan Currier’ “Screen Door,” pictured above. Pizzardi says there was no favoritism; an international jury chose them. Instead, she attributes it to the “effervescence” of Richmond’s arts scene. We just got bubblier.

Another big photography event to hit the city this week, Second Glances Photography at 2104 E. Main St. is holding a benefit featuring the work of Jock Sturges, Joyce Tenneson, Matthew Dols (who will be at the opening) and others. A photography professor from Washington has organized the event to benefit his nephews whose father recently died. The show, “One Cause,” opens Saturday, Feb. 17 from 6 to 10 p.m.

And in case you missed it at First Fridays, stop by the Richmond Public Library’s new David Freed Gallery at its downtown branch. It features the retired VCU professor of printmaking’s prints of authors from the library’s permanent collection. S