Create West Virginia

The Arts Council of Kanawha Valley will have a launch party on Wednesday, June 2, to inaugurate its newly formed organization whose purpose is to enhance the Kanawha Valley’s quality of life through the arts.  Artists of all stripes, friends and interested parties are invited to attend this event that will run from 6-8 pm in the Clay Center Grand Lobby.

 The Arts Council of Kanawha Valley (ACKV) grew out of the Kanawha Valley Cultural Plan.   “We have such a rich and diverse artistic community that includes incredibly talented artists and active, supportive arts organizations,” said ACKV chair Naomi Bays.  “But we are often fragmented; we don’t collaborate or promote ourselves nearly as effectively as we could.  The Arts Council will capitalize on our strengths, strengthen our weaknesses, be a reliable resource for our artists and arts agencies, and promote that richness and diversity in the arts both to ourselves and beyond our borders.”

Funded by The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation, the Cultural Plan was developed after two years of public meetings, individual interviews, focus groups and task forces.  The Arts Council of Kanawha Valley was created to implement the Plan’s recommendations.

“We’ll be launching our website and events calendar at the Launch Party,” said Bays.  “Those are crucial to promoting artists to the community as well as helping artists plan and network with other artists. People can interact with the website which will be displayed on a big screen.”

 An artist registry and detailed arts venue information also will be on the website.  All artists, from visual artists, writers and actors, to dancers, musicians and mimes, are encouraged to bring promotional CDs for inclusion on the artist registry; a photographer will be on hand during the festivities to take head shots. Another big screen will loop over 30 ‘guerrilla interviews’ with community members who’ve been asked, ‘What is Art’.  And, there will be live music.

 “We want to help artists realize their hopes and dreams,” said Bays, “and to help make our vibrant community even moreso.”  For more information, please contact Naomi Bays at 304.395.5455.  Or e-mail: Naomi@artskv.org.

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