Stories About Arts Building Communities Does Your Local Arts Organization Contribute to the Economic, Educational, and Cultural Vitality of Your Community? Send photos and your story (no more than 250 words) to VaforArts@aol.com. Featured organizations must be grantees of the Virginia Commission for the Arts.This project is supported, in part, by Virginia-Gazette story on Arts Build Communities project (January 28, 2009) The Academy of Music The Academy of Music, Hampton Roads' only independent non-profit community music school accredited by the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, was founded in 1991. With a mission to provide quality music instruction to regional residents, regardless of their ability to pay, the Academy offers private and group instruction in musical instruments and voice. Click here for full story. American Shakespeare Center Since 1988, the American Shakespeare Center (ASC) has been recovering the joys and accessibility of Shakespeare’s theatre, language and humanity by exploring the English Renaissance state and its practices through performance and education. In its hometown of Staunton, the ASC built a re-creation of Shakespeare's original indoor theatre, the Blackfriars Playhouse, thereby providing audiences with the fun of an authentic Elizabethan playgoer experience. Click here for full story. American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras Recognized as one of the leading orchestral training programs in the nation, the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras (AYPO) provides competitive world-class training and performance opportunities for young musicians ages 7 to 21. Consisting of four separate ensembles undefined the String Ensemble, Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, and Philharmonic Orchestra undefined AYPO offers young people musical experiences of the highest caliber. AYPO’s community outreach programs make it possible for students of all socio-economic backgrounds to have exposure to and experiences with classical music. Click here for full story. ART 180 Founded in 1998, ART 180 creates and provides art-related programs for young people living in challenging circumstances, thereby encouraging personal and community change through self-expression. With its numerous community partners, ART 180’s programs focus on stained glass, poetry, drumming, photography and more, exposing youth to a variety of art forms and encouraging self-discovery and dialogue shaped by creativity. As children’s own creative ideas are nurtured, they develop a stronger sense of self, heightened awareness of their abilities, and a greater optimism for the future. Click here for full story. The Art League Founded in 1954, The Art League is among Northern Virginia’s largest and oldest multi-service organizations for visual artists. In addition to its gallery, monthly exhibitions and solo art shows, The Art League hosts the annual Patrons’ Show fundraiser during which the public has the opportunity to acquire quality works of fine art at a fraction of the cost. Click here for full story. Arts Center in Orange The Arts Center in Orange (ACO) was founded in 1997 by a group of artists and community members who wanted to improve the quality of life in Orange County and the surrounding communities. The Center promotes an appreciation for fine contemporary arts in diverse styles and ideologies. Click here for full story. The Arts and Cultural Council of the Twin Counties Since 1987, the Arts and Cultural Council of the Twin Counties has been dedicated to recognizing the rich culture of the Galax-Carroll-Grayson area of southwestern Virginia and providing opportunities to experience arts from other cultures. In a community that boasts a variety of artistic expression, including a theatre guild, a community chorus, several art/artisan guilds and a thriving traditional music organization, the Arts Council promotes art as an important component of community life and one that nourishes human development. Click here for the full story. Arts Council of the Blue Ridge The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge was established in 1976 with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts topromote the arts in the Roanoke Valley. Today, The Arts Council provides programs and services to 120 member organizations and more than 270 individual artists of all artistic disciplines. Programs and services include a regional cultural calendar, arts education programs, arts management workshops for member organizations and individual artists, directories and cultural tourism initiatives. Click here for the full story. Barksdale Theatre Founded in 1953, Barksdale Theatre explores the classics, contemporary works and world premieres designed to engage, enthrall, educate and inspire audiences. Barksdale Theatre’s Signature Series is presented at its mainstage location in the Willow Lawn area of Richmond, with additional programming in the historic Hanover Tavern, located just 30 minutes from the city. Click here for full story. Barter Theatre One of the nation’s oldest professional non-profit theatres, Barter opened its doors in 1933 in historic Abingdon. Barter provides high-quality professional theatre and educational opportunities and contributes greatly to the economic development in the region. Click here for full story. The Bay School Cultural Arts Center The Bay School Cultural Arts Center was conceived in 1997 to preserve heritage crafts, encourage eco-tourism, and educate and bring together the local community. A center that belongs to and exists for the community, the Bay School provides workshops, classes, lectures, exhibits and cultural opportunities. Click here for full story. Bluemont Since 1976, Bluemont has enriched Virginia communities by entertaining and educating people of all ages. Bluemont programs feature first-rate professional performers who showcase a wide array of different genres and styles of music, song, poetry and storytelling. In its 33 years, this non-profit cultural and educational organization has presented more than 5,000 high-quality events to a combined audience of more than 3.4 million people in 68 communities in northwest and central Virginia. Click here for full story. Bon Air Elementary School - Artist-In-Residency Program Discussions of food webs, habitat and conservation usually don’t include terms like composition, color and perspective. But at Bon Air Elementary School in Richmond, the concepts of science and art came together during the spring 2008 Artist in Residency Program. Colleen Phelon Hall, a local mural artist known for her carefully researched mural paintings of nature, inspired the school’s fifth-grade students to incorporate research and science into their artwork through a series of workshops and presentations. Click here for full story. Bowen McCauley Dance Founded in1996, Bowen McCauley Dance (BMD) is critically acclaimed for its spirited dancers, use of live music, professional concert dance performances and collaborative partnerships. With a goal to nurture, promote and develop the art of dance, BMD’s unique choreographic style partners classically trained dancers with a creative repertoire that resonates with and excites audiences of all kinds. Click here for full story. Bower Center for the Arts The Bower Center for the Arts, under the umbrella of the Wharton Memorial Foundation, is a non-profit art center located in the heart of historic Bedford, Virginia. Since 2006 the Bower Center has provided an atmosphere of learning and personal growth through entertainment and education in the visual and performing arts. Click here for full story. Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion Celebrating its ninth annual festival this September, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is a non-profit organization that presents an annual three-day music festival promoting and celebrating Bristol as "The Birthplace of Country Music." Held each fall in historic downtown Bristol, the Reunion recently received an award from the Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus as the "Best Destination Event of the Year for 2009" for the State of Virginia. Click here for full story. Center for the Arts of Greater Manassas/Prince William County Founded in 1984, the Center for the Arts of Greater Manassas/Prince William County (CFA) enriches its Northern Virginia community through performances, the visual arts, and arts educational out-reach. A move to the renovated 1908 Candy Factory in Old Town Manassas in 2002 has created additional opportunities to reach more participants than ever. Click here for full story. Contemporary Art Center Founded in 1952, the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia (CAC) features regularly changing exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, photography, glass, video and other visual media from national, international and regionally acclaimed artists. By balancing four primary activities undefined gallery exhibitions, studio art classes, educational outreach programs and outdoor art shows undefined the CAC seeks to involve a diverse regional public in the rich and active language of contemporary visual art. Click here for full story. The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail began as an idea in 2003 as a way to generate tourism and economic development in the Blue Ridge and Appalachian regions of Southwest Virginia by focusing on the area’s unique musical heritage. Many of the venues and institutions that make up The Crooked Road experience have existed for years; however The Crooked Road initiative was launched to link these opportunities into a more coordinated tourism experience for the traveling public. Click here for full story. The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen Founded in 1999, The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen is the only arts facility in the Richmond region to offer both performing and visual arts. The Center’s goal is to help build social connections within the community by bringing in programs and performances with various points of view that multiple constituencies can enjoy. A diverse group of patrons, ranging in age, race, gender and income, encourages people to share knowledge and information and connect in new ways. Click here for full story. Dance Theatre of Lynchburg Celebrating 10 years in 2009, Dance Theatre of Lynchburg brings the world of the arts, theatre and dance to the greater Lynchburg community with a strong focus on underserved populations. By engaging people with the performing arts, the organization creates enthusiasm, inspires talent and discipline within its students, provides insight into distinct cultural experiences, encourages broad-based community involvement, and promotes excellence in the arts. Click here for full story. d'ART Center Located in a renovated historic building in downtown Norfolk, the d’ART Center was established as a result of a partnership of public and community support in 1986. The Center’s 40 resident artists, whose artwork ranges from traditional to abstract expressionism and from contemporary realism to personal vision, provide education and appeal to a broad section of the Hampton Roads community. Click here for full story. Del Ray Artisans Founded in 1992, the mission of Del Ray Artisans (DRA) is to promote art for the benefit of artists and the community. Gallery exhibitions focus on contemporary and traditional art and include the fiber arts, painting, drawing, photography, glass, sculpture, collage, mosaics, quilting, wood working, jewelry, ceramics, and mixed media. DRA also played an important role in the recent revitalization of the Del Ray community and has contributed to Alexandria’s growing reputation as a destination for art and culture. Click here for full story. The Fairfax Symphony Founded in 1956, the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) has been hailed as "the pride of Fairfax County." The orchestra explores the classical symphonic repertoire, both traditional and modern, during its annual concert seasons and through many successful education and outreach programs. Click here for full story. Footsteps in Time In 2005, Footsteps in Time (formerly known as the Gray Ghost Theatre Company), was formed to advance education and promote deeper understanding of contemporary America through an examination of history via theatre, film and the arts. Through original performances and specifically crafted educational models, the company strives to “engage the imagination, transport the mind, educate and illuminate." Click here for full story. Garth Newel Music Center Named after a Welsh phrase meaning “new home,” Garth Newel Music Center is well- known for its elegant chamber music and fine dining in an intimate rural setting just north of Hot Springs, Virginia. It is the only year-round presenter of live music that is also home to a resident ensemble within at least 100 miles. Its season has grown from only a half-dozen concerts in the 1970s to more than 50 today, including the Virginia Blues and Jazz Festival held each June. Click here for full story. Historic Hopewell Foundation Founded in 1972, the mission of the Historic Hopewell Foundation, Inc. (HHFI) is to interpret the City’s history through the preservation of its historic properties. Currently HHFI owns three historic properties in Hopewell: Weston Plantation (1789), a historic house museum, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the St. Dennis Chapel (1889), which houses the City Point Early History Museum; and the Dr. Peter Eppes House (1830s), which serves as HHFI’s headquarters. Click here for full story. The Jacksonville Center for the Arts Also known as the Floyd Community Center for the Arts, the Jacksonville Center for the Arts (JCA) is located in the town of Floyd, Virginia, just a few miles north of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Founded in 1995, its five-acre campus offers arts and cultural activities for visitors and community members, including contemporary and folk art exhibits, social events, and educational programs for artists of all ages and abilities. Click here for full story. Latin Ballet The Hispanic culture represents North America's largest and fastest growing ethnic group. The Latin Ballet of Virginia (LBV) seeks to expose people of all backgrounds to this rich cultural and artistic heritage, in a format that is designed to build self-confidence though physical and mental challenges. Click here for full story. The Lincoln Theatre Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and designated a Virginia Historic Landmark, the Lincoln Theatre opened in 2004 after undergoing a $1.8 million renovation. As the only performing arts facility in Smyth County, the Lincoln strives to present cultural opportunities to an underserved region of Virginia through quality programming, including the musical arts of the Appalachians, as well as a wide array of other genres, such as symphony, jazz, dramatic performance, and childrens' programming. Click here for full story. Longwood Center for the Visual Arts Although the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) has only had a permanent home since 1998, its origins go back more than a century. Today it is known throughout the Commonwealth as an important and innovative study and research center for visual arts. Its prestige and influence continues to expand and enrich the area’s students and residents. Click here for full story. McLean Project for the Arts For more than 45 years, McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) has been dedicated to exhibiting the work of emerging and established artists from the mid-Atlantic region; promoting public awareness and understanding of the concepts of contemporary art; and offering instruction and education in the visual arts. In cooperation with local government and civic groups, MPA established a permanent visual arts center consisting of three critically acclaimed contemporary art galleries within the McLean Community Center. Click here for full story. MetroStage The oldest professional theatre in Northern Virginia, MetroStage has been serving the community since 1984, opening its first theatre in 1987. MetroStage’s plays and staged readings represent an eclectic range of drama, comedy and music to entertain and challenge the broadest possible audience. MetroStage is committed to producing, and often premieres, plays and musicals by and about African-Americans that have significantly increased the diversity of the audience. Click here for full story. Music Resource Center Since 1995, the mission of the Music Resource Center (MRC) has been to educate and inspire young people through music education. Created by well-known area musicians as a safe, after-school alternative, the MRC uses music education and performance experiences to teach important life skills and provide an outlet where adolescents can experience a sense of empowerment and accomplishment. Click here for full story. Park Place Child Life Center Park Place Child Life Center (PPCLC) seeks to transform the lives of children ages 6 to 14 in Park Place, a primarily African-American, economically disadvantaged neighborhood in Norfolk, through arts-based programming designed to advance literacy and encourage a lifetime love of learning. Click here for full story. Peninsula Fine Arts Center The goal of the Peninsula Fine Arts Center (PFAC) is to create an experience unlike any other through diverse exhibitions and innovative programming. With its slogan, “Art is what you make it,” PFAC asks its audiences to see, think and feel undefined creating an environment where the mind, spirit and hands combine to find joy and expression in being creative and imaginative. Click here for full story. Performing Arts of Luray Founded in 2005, the mission of the BB&T Center for the Performing Arts of Luray (PAL) is to provide opportunities to explore, study and enjoy high-quality performances in art, dance, music and drama. Since 2006 when it purchased and renovated a bank building in the downtown historic district, PAL has become a premier attraction, increasing the cultural and economic activity in the region. Click here for full story. Piedmont Arts Association With the belief that art enhances quality of life, the Piedmont Arts Association’s (PAA) mission is to provide experiences in the visual and performing arts to enrich and enlighten the lives of the people of Martinsville, Henry County and neighboring areas. Click here for full story The Podium Foundation The Podium Foundation operates a literary journal called PODIUM, which publishes the writings, drawings, and expressions of Richmond City Public Schools high-school students. Published each spring, more than 20,000 free copies are distributed each year. The Foundation also maintains a web site (PodiumFoundation.com) which serves as the online and interactive platform for students’ creative efforts. Click here for full story. The Prizery The Prizery has created cultural, educational and economic opportunities where none existed in South Boston, a small town in Southern Virginia battered by the losses of textiles and tobacco. Since its award-winning 2005 renovation, The Prizery has spawned a renaissance in Downtown’s historic warehouse district (including the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, a consortium of colleges and GED programs). Click here for full story. Pro-Art Association For more than 31 years, the Pro-Art Association has provided high-quality free arts performances to the residents of Wise, Dickenson and Lee Counties, as well as the city of Norton. Its programs have grown considerably over the years and now draw individuals from the Tri-Cities area and extreme Southwest Virginia, as well as upper East Tennessee. Click here for full story. The Rhythm Project The Rhythm Project is a world percussion and dance ensemble of young artists who have earned international acclaim for their traditional accuracy and high-energy performances. Founded in 1996 by the Virginia Arts Festival, the Rhythm Project bridges the gap between musicians and audience through creative and educational performances that blend the cultures of West Africa and the Caribbean. Click here for full story. Richmond Ballet From its inception in 1957, Richmond Ballet, The State Ballet of Virginia, has upheld its mission “to awaken and uplift the human spirit, both for audiences and artists.” Richmond Ballet provides a full range of performances and programs that bring added life to Richmond’s thriving arts community and foster the area’s reputation as a center of creativity and innovation. Click here for full story. Richmond Boys Choir Founded in 1996, The Richmond Boys Choir’s (RBC) mission is grounded in the fact that the arts tap a part of the individual not reached through traditional academic programs, replacing the limits of circumstances with the discipline essential to success. By fostering personal development, academic enhancement and musical excellence by way of musical performances, RBC helps youth between the ages of 7 and 17 avoid risky behavior and opens their eyes to a wider world of possibilities. Click here for full story. Richmond Symphony Orchestra The Richmond Symphony was founded in 1957 by a group of music lovers who wanted to provide Central Virginia with a professional orchestra. Today the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in the region and includes an orchestra of 70+ professional musicians, the 115-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and more than 200 students in its Youth Orchestra programs. Click here for full story. Roanoke Symphony Orchestra The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra (RSO)has been a cultural mainstay of Southwest Virginia since its founding in 1953. As the only professional orchestra in western Virginia, the RSO serves the largest geographic audience of all orchestras in the state through high-quality concerts and innovative programming. Its performances and commissions have earned the RSO national recognition in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, on "NBC Today Show," and "NPR's Performance Today." Click here for full story. 'Round the Mountain Created in the fall of 2004 as a result of the Virginia Works Initiative, 'Round the Mountain’s (RTM) mission is to promote sustainable economic development of the region’s communities by assisting local artisans with marketing, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. Click here for full story. Signature Theatre For nearly two decades, Signature Theatre has helped broaden and brighten Northern Virginia’s cultural landscape with its bold theatrical works. The Theatre is renowned for its definitive musical productions, inventive adaptations of overlooked or forgotten works, and investment in fresh new projects. It is also recognized for combining Broadway-quality productions with an intimate playing space, and using live orchestras with unamplified performers. Click here for full story. School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC) Founded in 1981, The School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community’s (SPARC) mission is to inspire young people to reach their full potential through high-quality training in the performing arts. Click here for full story. Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts Since its grand opening in 2006, the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts (SCCA) has educated, entertained and enlightened visitors from Suffolk, Hampton Roads and beyond. Through high-quality programming, SCCA encourages and advocates for the visual and performing arts by providing a forum where diverse audiences can actively participate in cultural experiences. In addition, its newly opened restaurant and gift shop attract new tourists to Suffolk and give locals added reasons to support the city’s revitalized downtown. Click here for full story. Synetic Theatre Formed in 2001, Synetic Theater’s fusion of classical drama, movement, dance, mime and music—often played with minimal or no dialogue—captures the imaginations of differing ages and backgrounds. With its merger with Classika Theater in 2004 and its award-winning founders and productions, Synetic fulfills its mission of enriching and advancing theater arts in the nation’s capital region, as well as offering education and outreach to families and underserved children. Click here for full story. Taubman Museum of Art Formerly known as the Art Museum of Western Virginia, the Taubman Museum of Art opened its new, 81,000-square-foot downtown Roanoke facility in November 2008. Founded in 1951, the Taubman Museum of Art showcases a rapidly growing, nationally important permanent collection of American art, modern and contemporary art, design and decorative arts, folk and visionary art, and works on paper. Click here for full story. Theatre IV Founded in Richmond in 1975, Theatre IV is Virginia’s largest professional theatre in terms of total children reached and number of local, regional and national performances. Theatre IV’s name is derived from its mission to enrich the community in four areas: The Arts, Education, Children’s Health and Community Leadership. Click here for full story. Tidewater Arts Outreach Tidewater Arts Outreach (TAO), formed in 2004, brings live music, visual arts and performances to those isolated from community life due to illness, age or disabilities. The organization matches talented visual artists, musicians, instructors and performers with more than 60 dependent care facilities, hospitals, shelters and crisis centers annually. Click here for full story. Todd Rosenlieb Dance The Todd Rosenlieb Dance Center provides the Hampton Roads’ community and surrounding regions with educational outreach, instructional workshops, dance classes, and performance programs, resulting in dance promotion, enhanced economic growth, improved quality of life, and a forum for local dance artists, professionals and performances. Click here for full story. Virginia Center for the Creative Arts The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) is an international working retreat for writers, visual artists and composers located in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Hosting about 350 “Fellows” each year at its Mt. San Angelo estate adjacent to Sweet Briar College, the VCCA provides residential fellowships of two weeks to two months to professional artists from around the world. It also runs a similar program at its studio center in Southern France. Click here for full story. Virginia Opera Organized in 1974, Virginia Opera is known and respected nationally for identifying and presenting the finest young artists, for the musical and dramatic integrity of its productions, and for the ingenuity and variety of its education and outreach programs. Its 32 mainstage productions are performed in three separate venues: Norfolk, Fairfax and Richmond. Click here for full story. Virginia Stage Company The Virginia Stage Company (VSC) is Southeastern Virginia’s only fully professional resident theater company. With a mission to enrich, educate and entertain the region by creating and producing theatrical art of the highest quality and worthy of national prominence, VSC has earned a reputation as one of the country’s foremost regional theaters. Click here for full story. Virginia Symphony Orchestra Founded in 1920, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is recognized as one of the leading regional orchestras in the nation, presenting more than 130 annual concerts in multiple venues throughout Hampton Roads. VSO musicians also are the orchestral centerpiece of the Virginia Opera, Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Arts Festival performances. Click here for full story. Visual Arts Center of Richmond Since its founding in 1962, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VACR) has engaged the community in the creative process through the visual arts. Formerly called the Hand Workshop, VACR provides opportunities for both adults and children to explore and nurture their artistic gifts. Click here for full story. Washington Balalaika Society The Washington Balalaika Society (WBS) was founded in 1988 by a group of musicians interested in studying and performing the music of Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe on traditional Russian folk instruments -- the balalaika, domra, bayan and related folk wind and percussion instruments. Today the WBS has grown to be the largest orchestra of its kind in North America with 60 musicians ranging in age from 11 to 85 years old. Click here for full story. Click here for full story. William King Regional Arts Center The William King Regional Arts Center (WKRAC) is the only facility of its kind serving far Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. Located in a historic 1913 building in Abingdon, WKRAC features museum-standard galleries showcasing art of the region and of the world, from contemporary works to historical decorative arts. Click here for full story. Winchester Musica Viva In its 28th season, Winchester Musica Viva (WMV) is an independent chamber choir presenting quality choral literature from all musical periods and styles to audiences throughout Virginia and neighboring states. Comprised of professional level volunteer singers, many with advanced music degrees, WMV’s mission is to create artistic and cultural opportunities for musicians and community that offer entertainment, education and enrichment. Operating out of Winchester, Virginia, WMV’s mission is preserving choral music by attracting appreciative listeners from across the city, county, state, country and the world. Click here for full story. Wintergreen Performing Arts Located in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, Wintergreen Performing Arts, Inc. (WPA) is a non-profit organization that produces a high-quality summer music festival featuring symphonic and chamber concerts, as well as other performing arts programs throughout the year. Founded in 1995 as an arts council, WPA has grown from providing programs in private homes to more than 175 public performances ranging from concerts by the entire Winter-green Festival Orchestra to plays, films, seminars, and other adjunct offerings. Click here for full story. Wise County Summer Arts Program The Wise County Public Schools Summer Arts Academy provides students at all grade levels with opportunities to participate in a high-quality summer arts program that includes music, vocal music and theatrical musical productions. To provide these unique experiences for students, a community of people are involved, including public school teachers, college students, parents, university professors ,and community members who provide the instruction and collaboration necessary to produce its three outreach programs. Click here for full story. The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton The Workhouse Arts Center, a project of the Lorton Arts Foundation, opened its doors in September 2008. Once part of the D.C. correctional complex and now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Workhouse Arts Center provides visual and performing arts studio and exhibition space for more than 100 of the region’s finest professional and emerging artists. Its mission is to enrich the lives of all within its reach by creating a vibrant cultural community that fosters a diverse offering of arts, education, social, and entertainment experiences for people of all ages. Click here for full story. Youth Orchestras of Prince William Since its founding in 1981, the mission of the Youth Orchestras of Prince William (YOPW) has been to promote high-quality music education, provide a range of performance opportunities, foster musical awareness and appreciation, and produce cultural experiences for its region. Click here for full story. Young Audiences of Virginia Young Audiences of Virginia (YAV), the largest arts-in-education organization in Virginia, was founded in 1955 with only a single string ensemble and a handful of volunteers. Since that time, YAV has grown to more than 180 professional artists who teach and perform in schools, museums, community centers, parks and libraries throughout the state. Click here for full story.
Does Your Local Arts Organization Contribute to the Economic, Educational, and Cultural Vitality of Your Community? Send photos and your story (no more than 250 words) to VaforArts@aol.com. Featured organizations must be grantees of the Virginia Commission for the Arts.This project is supported, in part, by
Virginia-Gazette story on Arts Build Communities project (January 28, 2009)
The Academy of Music
The Academy of Music, Hampton Roads' only independent non-profit community music school accredited by the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts, was founded in 1991. With a mission to provide quality music instruction to regional residents, regardless of their ability to pay, the Academy offers private and group instruction in musical instruments and voice. Click here for full story.
American Shakespeare Center
American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras
Recognized as one of the leading orchestral training programs in the nation, the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras (AYPO) provides competitive world-class training and performance opportunities for young musicians ages 7 to 21. Consisting of four separate ensembles undefined the String Ensemble, Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, and Philharmonic Orchestra undefined AYPO offers young people musical experiences of the highest caliber. AYPO’s community outreach programs make it possible for students of all socio-economic backgrounds to have exposure to and experiences with classical music. Click here for full story.
Founded in 1998, ART 180 creates and provides art-related programs for young people living in challenging circumstances, thereby encouraging personal and community change through self-expression. With its numerous community partners, ART 180’s programs focus on stained glass, poetry, drumming, photography and more, exposing youth to a variety of art forms and encouraging self-discovery and dialogue shaped by creativity. As children’s own creative ideas are nurtured, they develop a stronger sense of self, heightened awareness of their abilities, and a greater optimism for the future. Click here for full story.
The Art League
Founded in 1954, The Art League is among Northern Virginia’s largest and oldest multi-service organizations for visual artists. In addition to its gallery, monthly exhibitions and solo art shows, The Art League hosts the annual Patrons’ Show fundraiser during which the public has the opportunity to acquire quality works of fine art at a fraction of the cost. Click here for full story.
Arts Center in Orange
The Arts Center in Orange (ACO) was founded in 1997 by a group of artists and community members who wanted to improve the quality of life in Orange County and the surrounding communities. The Center promotes an appreciation for fine contemporary arts in diverse styles and ideologies. Click here for full story.
The Arts and Cultural Council of the Twin Counties
Since 1987, the Arts and Cultural Council of the Twin Counties has been dedicated to recognizing the rich culture of the Galax-Carroll-Grayson area of southwestern Virginia and providing opportunities to experience arts from other cultures. In a community that boasts a variety of artistic expression, including a theatre guild, a community chorus, several art/artisan guilds and a thriving traditional music organization, the Arts Council promotes art as an important component of community life and one that nourishes human development. Click here for the full story.
Arts Council of the Blue Ridge
The Arts Council of the Blue Ridge was established in 1976 with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts topromote the arts in the Roanoke Valley. Today, The Arts Council provides programs and services to 120 member organizations and more than 270 individual artists of all artistic disciplines. Programs and services include a regional cultural calendar, arts education programs, arts management workshops for member organizations and individual artists, directories and cultural tourism initiatives. Click here for the full story.
Barksdale Theatre
Founded in 1953, Barksdale Theatre explores the classics, contemporary works and world premieres designed to engage, enthrall, educate and inspire audiences. Barksdale Theatre’s Signature Series is presented at its mainstage location in the Willow Lawn area of Richmond, with additional programming in the historic Hanover Tavern, located just 30 minutes from the city. Click here for full story.
One of the nation’s oldest professional non-profit theatres, Barter opened its doors in 1933 in historic Abingdon. Barter provides high-quality professional theatre and educational opportunities and contributes greatly to the economic development in the region. Click here for full story.
The Bay School Cultural Arts Center was conceived in 1997 to preserve heritage crafts, encourage eco-tourism, and educate and bring together the local community. A center that belongs to and exists for the community, the Bay School provides workshops, classes, lectures, exhibits and cultural opportunities. Click here for full story.
Bluemont
Since 1976, Bluemont has enriched Virginia communities by entertaining and educating people of all ages. Bluemont programs feature first-rate professional performers who showcase a wide array of different genres and styles of music, song, poetry and storytelling. In its 33 years, this non-profit cultural and educational organization has presented more than 5,000 high-quality events to a combined audience of more than 3.4 million people in 68 communities in northwest and central Virginia. Click here for full story.
Discussions of food webs, habitat and conservation usually don’t include terms like composition, color and perspective. But at Bon Air Elementary School in Richmond, the concepts of science and art came together during the spring 2008 Artist in Residency Program. Colleen Phelon Hall, a local mural artist known for her carefully researched mural paintings of nature, inspired the school’s fifth-grade students to incorporate research and science into their artwork through a series of workshops and presentations. Click here for full story.
Bowen McCauley Dance
Founded in1996, Bowen McCauley Dance (BMD) is critically acclaimed for its spirited dancers, use of live music, professional concert dance performances and collaborative partnerships. With a goal to nurture, promote and develop the art of dance, BMD’s unique choreographic style partners classically trained dancers with a creative repertoire that resonates with and excites audiences of all kinds. Click here for full story.
Bower Center for the Arts
The Bower Center for the Arts, under the umbrella of the Wharton Memorial Foundation, is a non-profit art center located in the heart of historic Bedford, Virginia. Since 2006 the Bower Center has provided an atmosphere of learning and personal growth through entertainment and education in the visual and performing arts. Click here for full story.
Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion
Celebrating its ninth annual festival this September, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion is a non-profit organization that presents an annual three-day music festival promoting and celebrating Bristol as "The Birthplace of Country Music." Held each fall in historic downtown Bristol, the Reunion recently received an award from the Virginia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus as the "Best Destination Event of the Year for 2009" for the State of Virginia. Click here for full story.
Founded in 1984, the Center for the Arts of Greater Manassas/Prince William County (CFA) enriches its Northern Virginia community through performances, the visual arts, and arts educational out-reach. A move to the renovated 1908 Candy Factory in Old Town Manassas in 2002 has created additional opportunities to reach more participants than ever. Click here for full story.
Contemporary Art Center
The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail
The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail began as an idea in 2003 as a way to generate tourism and economic development in the Blue Ridge and Appalachian regions of Southwest Virginia by focusing on the area’s unique musical heritage. Many of the venues and institutions that make up The Crooked Road experience have existed for years; however The Crooked Road initiative was launched to link these opportunities into a more coordinated tourism experience for the traveling public. Click here for full story.
The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen
Founded in 1999, The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen is the only arts facility in the Richmond region to offer both performing and visual arts. The Center’s goal is to help build social connections within the community by bringing in programs and performances with various points of view that multiple constituencies can enjoy. A diverse group of patrons, ranging in age, race, gender and income, encourages people to share knowledge and information and connect in new ways. Click here for full story.
Dance Theatre of Lynchburg
Celebrating 10 years in 2009, Dance Theatre of Lynchburg brings the world of the arts, theatre and dance to the greater Lynchburg community with a strong focus on underserved populations. By engaging people with the performing arts, the organization creates enthusiasm, inspires talent and discipline within its students, provides insight into distinct cultural experiences, encourages broad-based community involvement, and promotes excellence in the arts. Click here for full story.
d'ART Center
Located in a renovated historic building in downtown Norfolk, the d’ART Center was established as a result of a partnership of public and community support in 1986. The Center’s 40 resident artists, whose artwork ranges from traditional to abstract expressionism and from contemporary realism to personal vision, provide education and appeal to a broad section of the Hampton Roads community. Click here for full story.
Del Ray Artisans
Founded in 1992, the mission of Del Ray Artisans (DRA) is to promote art for the benefit of artists and the community. Gallery exhibitions focus on contemporary and traditional art and include the fiber arts, painting, drawing, photography, glass, sculpture, collage, mosaics, quilting, wood working, jewelry, ceramics, and mixed media. DRA also played an important role in the recent revitalization of the Del Ray community and has contributed to Alexandria’s growing reputation as a destination for art and culture. Click here for full story.
Founded in 1956, the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) has been hailed as "the pride of Fairfax County." The orchestra explores the classical symphonic repertoire, both traditional and modern, during its annual concert seasons and through many successful education and outreach programs. Click here for full story.
Footsteps in Time
In 2005, Footsteps in Time (formerly known as the Gray Ghost Theatre Company), was formed to advance education and promote deeper understanding of contemporary America through an examination of history via theatre, film and the arts. Through original performances and specifically crafted educational models, the company strives to “engage the imagination, transport the mind, educate and illuminate." Click here for full story.
Garth Newel Music Center
Named after a Welsh phrase meaning “new home,” Garth Newel Music Center is well- known for its elegant chamber music and fine dining in an intimate rural setting just north of Hot Springs, Virginia. It is the only year-round presenter of live music that is also home to a resident ensemble within at least 100 miles. Its season has grown from only a half-dozen concerts in the 1970s to more than 50 today, including the Virginia Blues and Jazz Festival held each June. Click here for full story.
Founded in 1972, the mission of the Historic Hopewell Foundation, Inc. (HHFI) is to interpret the City’s history through the preservation of its historic properties. Currently HHFI owns three historic properties in Hopewell: Weston Plantation (1789), a historic house museum, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; the St. Dennis Chapel (1889), which houses the City Point Early History Museum; and the Dr. Peter Eppes House (1830s), which serves as HHFI’s headquarters. Click here for full story.
The Jacksonville Center for the Arts
Also known as the Floyd Community Center for the Arts, the Jacksonville Center for the Arts (JCA) is located in the town of Floyd, Virginia, just a few miles north of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Founded in 1995, its five-acre campus offers arts and cultural activities for visitors and community members, including contemporary and folk art exhibits, social events, and educational programs for artists of all ages and abilities. Click here for full story.
The Hispanic culture represents North America's largest and fastest growing ethnic group. The Latin Ballet of Virginia (LBV) seeks to expose people of all backgrounds to this rich cultural and artistic heritage, in a format that is designed to build self-confidence though physical and mental challenges. Click here for full story.
The Lincoln Theatre Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and designated a Virginia Historic Landmark, the Lincoln Theatre opened in 2004 after undergoing a $1.8 million renovation. As the only performing arts facility in Smyth County, the Lincoln strives to present cultural opportunities to an underserved region of Virginia through quality programming, including the musical arts of the Appalachians, as well as a wide array of other genres, such as symphony, jazz, dramatic performance, and childrens' programming. Click here for full story. Longwood Center for the Visual Arts Although the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) has only had a permanent home since 1998, its origins go back more than a century. Today it is known throughout the Commonwealth as an important and innovative study and research center for visual arts. Its prestige and influence continues to expand and enrich the area’s students and residents. Click here for full story. McLean Project for the Arts For more than 45 years, McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) has been dedicated to exhibiting the work of emerging and established artists from the mid-Atlantic region; promoting public awareness and understanding of the concepts of contemporary art; and offering instruction and education in the visual arts. In cooperation with local government and civic groups, MPA established a permanent visual arts center consisting of three critically acclaimed contemporary art galleries within the McLean Community Center. Click here for full story. MetroStage The oldest professional theatre in Northern Virginia, MetroStage has been serving the community since 1984, opening its first theatre in 1987. MetroStage’s plays and staged readings represent an eclectic range of drama, comedy and music to entertain and challenge the broadest possible audience. MetroStage is committed to producing, and often premieres, plays and musicals by and about African-Americans that have significantly increased the diversity of the audience. Click here for full story. Music Resource Center Since 1995, the mission of the Music Resource Center (MRC) has been to educate and inspire young people through music education. Created by well-known area musicians as a safe, after-school alternative, the MRC uses music education and performance experiences to teach important life skills and provide an outlet where adolescents can experience a sense of empowerment and accomplishment. Click here for full story. Park Place Child Life Center Park Place Child Life Center (PPCLC) seeks to transform the lives of children ages 6 to 14 in Park Place, a primarily African-American, economically disadvantaged neighborhood in Norfolk, through arts-based programming designed to advance literacy and encourage a lifetime love of learning. Click here for full story.
The Lincoln Theatre
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and designated a Virginia Historic Landmark, the Lincoln Theatre opened in 2004 after undergoing a $1.8 million renovation. As the only performing arts facility in Smyth County, the Lincoln strives to present cultural opportunities to an underserved region of Virginia through quality programming, including the musical arts of the Appalachians, as well as a wide array of other genres, such as symphony, jazz, dramatic performance, and childrens' programming. Click here for full story.
Longwood Center for the Visual Arts
Although the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) has only had a permanent home since 1998, its origins go back more than a century. Today it is known throughout the Commonwealth as an important and innovative study and research center for visual arts. Its prestige and influence continues to expand and enrich the area’s students and residents. Click here for full story.
McLean Project for the Arts
For more than 45 years, McLean Project for the Arts (MPA) has been dedicated to exhibiting the work of emerging and established artists from the mid-Atlantic region; promoting public awareness and understanding of the concepts of contemporary art; and offering instruction and education in the visual arts. In cooperation with local government and civic groups, MPA established a permanent visual arts center consisting of three critically acclaimed contemporary art galleries within the McLean Community Center. Click here for full story.
MetroStage
The oldest professional theatre in Northern Virginia, MetroStage has been serving the community since 1984, opening its first theatre in 1987. MetroStage’s plays and staged readings represent an eclectic range of drama, comedy and music to entertain and challenge the broadest possible audience. MetroStage is committed to producing, and often premieres, plays and musicals by and about African-Americans that have significantly increased the diversity of the audience. Click here for full story.
Music Resource Center
Since 1995, the mission of the Music Resource Center (MRC) has been to educate and inspire young people through music education. Created by well-known area musicians as a safe, after-school alternative, the MRC uses music education and performance experiences to teach important life skills and provide an outlet where adolescents can experience a sense of empowerment and accomplishment. Click here for full story.
Park Place Child Life Center
Park Place Child Life Center (PPCLC) seeks to transform the lives of children ages 6 to 14 in Park Place, a primarily African-American, economically disadvantaged neighborhood in Norfolk, through arts-based programming designed to advance literacy and encourage a lifetime love of learning. Click here for full story.
Peninsula Fine Arts Center
The goal of the Peninsula Fine Arts Center (PFAC) is to create an experience unlike any other through diverse exhibitions and innovative programming. With its slogan, “Art is what you make it,” PFAC asks its audiences to see, think and feel undefined creating an environment where the mind, spirit and hands combine to find joy and expression in being creative and imaginative. Click here for full story.
Performing Arts of Luray
Founded in 2005, the mission of the BB&T Center for the Performing Arts of Luray (PAL) is to provide opportunities to explore, study and enjoy high-quality performances in art, dance, music and drama. Since 2006 when it purchased and renovated a bank building in the downtown historic district, PAL has become a premier attraction, increasing the cultural and economic activity in the region. Click here for full story.
Piedmont Arts Association
With the belief that art enhances quality of life, the Piedmont Arts Association’s (PAA) mission is to provide experiences in the visual and performing arts to enrich and enlighten the lives of the people of Martinsville, Henry County and neighboring areas. Click here for full story
The Podium Foundation
The Podium Foundation operates a literary journal called PODIUM, which publishes the writings, drawings, and expressions of Richmond City Public Schools high-school students. Published each spring, more than 20,000 free copies are distributed each year. The Foundation also maintains a web site (PodiumFoundation.com) which serves as the online and interactive platform for students’ creative efforts. Click here for full story.
The Prizery
The Prizery has created cultural, educational and economic opportunities where none existed in South Boston, a small town in Southern Virginia battered by the losses of textiles and tobacco. Since its award-winning 2005 renovation, The Prizery has spawned a renaissance in Downtown’s historic warehouse district (including the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, a consortium of colleges and GED programs). Click here for full story.
For more than 31 years, the Pro-Art Association has provided high-quality free arts performances to the residents of Wise, Dickenson and Lee Counties, as well as the city of Norton. Its programs have grown considerably over the years and now draw individuals from the Tri-Cities area and extreme Southwest Virginia, as well as upper East Tennessee. Click here for full story.
The Rhythm Project
The Rhythm Project is a world percussion and dance ensemble of young artists who have earned international acclaim for their traditional accuracy and high-energy performances. Founded in 1996 by the Virginia Arts Festival, the Rhythm Project bridges the gap between musicians and audience through creative and educational performances that blend the cultures of West Africa and the Caribbean. Click here for full story.
Richmond Ballet
From its inception in 1957, Richmond Ballet, The State Ballet of Virginia, has upheld its mission “to awaken and uplift the human spirit, both for audiences and artists.” Richmond Ballet provides a full range of performances and programs that bring added life to Richmond’s thriving arts community and foster the area’s reputation as a center of creativity and innovation. Click here for full story.
Richmond Boys Choir
Richmond Symphony Orchestra
The Richmond Symphony was founded in 1957 by a group of music lovers who wanted to provide Central Virginia with a professional orchestra. Today the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in the region and includes an orchestra of 70+ professional musicians, the 115-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and more than 200 students in its Youth Orchestra programs. Click here for full story.
Roanoke Symphony Orchestra
The Roanoke Symphony Orchestra (RSO)has been a cultural mainstay of Southwest Virginia since its founding in 1953. As the only professional orchestra in western Virginia, the RSO serves the largest geographic audience of all orchestras in the state through high-quality concerts and innovative programming. Its performances and commissions have earned the RSO national recognition in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, on "NBC Today Show," and "NPR's Performance Today." Click here for full story.
'Round the Mountain
Created in the fall of 2004 as a result of the Virginia Works Initiative, 'Round the Mountain’s (RTM) mission is to promote sustainable economic development of the region’s communities by assisting local artisans with marketing, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. Click here for full story.
For nearly two decades, Signature Theatre has helped broaden and brighten Northern Virginia’s cultural landscape with its bold theatrical works. The Theatre is renowned for its definitive musical productions, inventive adaptations of overlooked or forgotten works, and investment in fresh new projects. It is also recognized for combining Broadway-quality productions with an intimate playing space, and using live orchestras with unamplified performers. Click here for full story.
School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC)
Founded in 1981, The School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community’s (SPARC) mission is to inspire young people to reach their full potential through high-quality training in the performing arts. Click here for full story.
Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts
Since its grand opening in 2006, the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts (SCCA) has educated, entertained and enlightened visitors from Suffolk, Hampton Roads and beyond. Through high-quality programming, SCCA encourages and advocates for the visual and performing arts by providing a forum where diverse audiences can actively participate in cultural experiences. In addition, its newly opened restaurant and gift shop attract new tourists to Suffolk and give locals added reasons to support the city’s revitalized downtown. Click here for full story.
Synetic Theatre
Formed in 2001, Synetic Theater’s fusion of classical drama, movement, dance, mime and music—often played with minimal or no dialogue—captures the imaginations of differing ages and backgrounds. With its merger with Classika Theater in 2004 and its award-winning founders and productions, Synetic fulfills its mission of enriching and advancing theater arts in the nation’s capital region, as well as offering education and outreach to families and underserved children. Click here for full story.
Taubman Museum of Art
Formerly known as the Art Museum of Western Virginia, the Taubman Museum of Art opened its new, 81,000-square-foot downtown Roanoke facility in November 2008. Founded in 1951, the Taubman Museum of Art showcases a rapidly growing, nationally important permanent collection of American art, modern and contemporary art, design and decorative arts, folk and visionary art, and works on paper. Click here for full story.
Theatre IV
Founded in Richmond in 1975, Theatre IV is Virginia’s largest professional theatre in terms of total children reached and number of local, regional and national performances. Theatre IV’s name is derived from its mission to enrich the community in four areas: The Arts, Education, Children’s Health and Community Leadership. Click here for full story.
Tidewater Arts Outreach
Tidewater Arts Outreach (TAO), formed in 2004, brings live music, visual arts and performances to those isolated from community life due to illness, age or disabilities. The organization matches talented visual artists, musicians, instructors and performers with more than 60 dependent care facilities, hospitals, shelters and crisis centers annually. Click here for full story.
The Todd Rosenlieb Dance Center provides the Hampton Roads’ community and surrounding regions with educational outreach, instructional workshops, dance classes, and performance programs, resulting in dance promotion, enhanced economic growth, improved quality of life, and a forum for local dance artists, professionals and performances. Click here for full story.
Virginia Center for the Creative Arts
The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) is an international working retreat for writers, visual artists and composers located in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Hosting about 350 “Fellows” each year at its Mt. San Angelo estate adjacent to Sweet Briar College, the VCCA provides residential fellowships of two weeks to two months to professional artists from around the world. It also runs a similar program at its studio center in Southern France. Click here for full story.
Virginia Opera
Organized in 1974, Virginia Opera is known and respected nationally for identifying and presenting the finest young artists, for the musical and dramatic integrity of its productions, and for the ingenuity and variety of its education and outreach programs. Its 32 mainstage productions are performed in three separate venues: Norfolk, Fairfax and Richmond. Click here for full story.
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1920, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra (VSO) is recognized as one of the leading regional orchestras in the nation, presenting more than 130 annual concerts in multiple venues throughout Hampton Roads. VSO musicians also are the orchestral centerpiece of the Virginia Opera, Todd Rosenlieb Dance and Virginia Arts Festival performances. Click here for full story.
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Since its founding in 1962, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VACR) has engaged the community in the creative process through the visual arts. Formerly called the Hand Workshop, VACR provides opportunities for both adults and children to explore and nurture their artistic gifts. Click here for full story.
Washington Balalaika Society
The Washington Balalaika Society (WBS) was founded in 1988 by a group of musicians interested in studying and performing the music of Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe on traditional Russian folk instruments -- the balalaika, domra, bayan and related folk wind and percussion instruments. Today the WBS has grown to be the largest orchestra of its kind in North America with 60 musicians ranging in age from 11 to 85 years old. Click here for full story. Click here for full story.
William King Regional Arts Center
The William King Regional Arts Center (WKRAC) is the only facility of its kind serving far Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. Located in a historic 1913 building in Abingdon, WKRAC features museum-standard galleries showcasing art of the region and of the world, from contemporary works to historical decorative arts. Click here for full story.
Winchester Musica Viva
In its 28th season, Winchester Musica Viva (WMV) is an independent chamber choir presenting quality choral literature from all musical periods and styles to audiences throughout Virginia and neighboring states. Comprised of professional level volunteer singers, many with advanced music degrees, WMV’s mission is to create artistic and cultural opportunities for musicians and community that offer entertainment, education and enrichment. Operating out of Winchester, Virginia, WMV’s mission is preserving choral music by attracting appreciative listeners from across the city, county, state, country and the world. Click here for full story.
Wintergreen Performing Arts
Located in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, Wintergreen Performing Arts, Inc. (WPA) is a non-profit organization that produces a high-quality summer music festival featuring symphonic and chamber concerts, as well as other performing arts programs throughout the year. Founded in 1995 as an arts council, WPA has grown from providing programs in private homes to more than 175 public performances ranging from concerts by the entire Winter-green Festival Orchestra to plays, films, seminars, and other adjunct offerings. Click here for full story.
Wise County Summer Arts Program
The Wise County Public Schools Summer Arts Academy provides students at all grade levels with opportunities to participate in a high-quality summer arts program that includes music, vocal music and theatrical musical productions. To provide these unique experiences for students, a community of people are involved, including public school teachers, college students, parents, university professors ,and community members who provide the instruction and collaboration necessary to produce its three outreach programs. Click here for full story.
The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton
The Workhouse Arts Center, a project of the Lorton Arts Foundation, opened its doors in September 2008. Once part of the D.C. correctional complex and now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Workhouse Arts Center provides visual and performing arts studio and exhibition space for more than 100 of the region’s finest professional and emerging artists. Its mission is to enrich the lives of all within its reach by creating a vibrant cultural community that fosters a diverse offering of arts, education, social, and entertainment experiences for people of all ages. Click here for full story.
Since its founding in 1981, the mission of the Youth Orchestras of Prince William (YOPW) has been to promote high-quality music education, provide a range of performance opportunities, foster musical awareness and appreciation, and produce cultural experiences for its region. Click here for full story.
Young Audiences of Virginia
Young Audiences of Virginia (YAV), the largest arts-in-education organization in Virginia, was founded in 1955 with only a single string ensemble and a handful of volunteers. Since that time, YAV has grown to more than 180 professional artists who teach and perform in schools, museums, community centers, parks and libraries throughout the state. Click here for full story.