Arts

Think you know West Virginia history? Then it’s time to put that knowledge to work and help save some of the state’s historic buildings. Historic buildings in West Virginia are getting a big boost from a new emergency fund that provided more than $20,000 to rescue initiatives in 2020. Organizers are kicking off a campaign … Read more

When you think of the arts, you might not first think of West Virginia, but the state is an ideal destination for musicians, according to the executive director of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. Despite what many aspiring artists have heard, it’s possible to pursue a rewarding career in music in West Virginia, … Read more

(Editor’s Note: Ever think of writing poetry? We’ve asked Marc Harshman, the poet laureate of West Virginia, to provide a few tips to help new poets move forward. As the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic is leading many people to isolate, we thought it might be an ideal time to help nurture the poet in each of … Read more

West Virginia State University is celebrating Arbor Day with a Facebook-based art project designed to encourage children isolated by the COVID-19 outbreak to create tree-themed posters. Hosted by the university’s extension service, “ABCs of Trees” online art project is open to children ages 3 to 18, and participating is simple, says extension agent Liz Moss. … Read more

Two renowned architectural firms based in Virginia and West Virginia have announced a merger that will provide integrated design services across both states. Charleston, W.Va.,-based ZMM Architects & Engineers and Blacksburg, Va.,-based OWPR Architects have joined forces to create a regional design firm that employs more than 50 highly-skilled professionals. The expanded firm will blend … Read more

Author and engineer Homer Hickam says he trusts that the native bravery he knew growing up in West Virginia will help others weather the troubles that result from the 2019-2020 coronavirus outbreak. Hickam, who famously preserved a glimpse of life in the state’s southern coalfields in his book “October Sky,” is reading selections from his … Read more

Each dollar spent on the arts in West Virginia turns into 23, the governor of West Virginia said during the fourth annual Arts-in-our-Communities Conference today at the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston, West Virginia. Governor Jim Justice addressed groups of artists from across the state during the two-day conference hosted by the West Virginia … Read more

The Appalachian Studies and Communities at Shepherd University is accepting submissions by May 1 for its 2020 West Virginia Fiction Competition. The competition was created to encourage writers and storytellers whose talent and creative writing ability is distinctive and promising and to foster an appreciation of Appalachian culture and values represented in the diverse writing … Read more

What do West Virginia high school students think about when they consider iconic West Virginia images? The winning entries for the 2020 Create-a-Quarter-for-West-Virginia contest reveal much. In conjunction with Presidents’ Day, the sixth installment of the Student Artist Series, was emceed by West Virginia First Lady Cathy Justice, who established the series to promote the … Read more

Opening a bookstore may not be the best way to turn a profit, but bookstores in West Virginia are doing well and diversifying, says an author who’s published a book on the matter. Matt Browning, the author of “Bookstore Explorer: West Virginia,” says thirty bookstores now exist in the Mountain State, often in areas where … Read more