Explore West Virginia’s vibrant arts scene, from traditional Appalachian music and craftsmanship to contemporary galleries, theater, festivals, and the artists shaping the state’s evolving cultural identity.
If you’re a West Virginian who came of age after 1971, chances are you can hardly remember a time when John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” wasn’t the state’s unofficial anthem. Though not officially adopted as a “state song” until 2014, it was, seemingly, performed at every event everywhere in the state. It became … Read more
Bluefield State College announced today the founding of the Pete Sternloff Center for West Virginia Musicology, which will archive and promote the history of music created and performed in southern West Virginia. College President Robin Capehart says the center will fill a much-needed gap in the preservation of and education about the music that flourished … Read more
Nature has always been a key component of the mission at the Huntington Museum of Art in Huntington, West Virginia. With a nature trail, plant conservatory, and wheelchair-accessible sensory trail on the property, it celebrates nature and strives to educate. But while the exhibition of art is chief among the missions that may spring to … Read more
First Lady Cathy Justice and the West Virginia Department of Education have announced the names of the five finalists for its Golden Horseshoe Sword-Smithing Design Contest. This contest is the 10th installment of the First Lady’s Student Artist Series, a program designed to promote the importance of art in West Virginia schools. High school students … Read more
Beckley’s second annual “BEX” arts festival, set for Sept. 20-25, will feature twelve extraordinary workshops and performances designed to bolster the growing arts community in southern West Virginia. Scaled down for its second year to permit covid-conscious interaction, the pandemic has allowed organizers time to design intensive programs as the region continues to attract more … Read more
National Public Radio and West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Mountain Stage today announced that West Virginia native Kathy Mattea will take over as the new host starting September 9. Mattea, a two-time Grammy winner from Cross Lanes, West Virginia, has performed on the world-renowned show hosted in Charleston, West Virginia, more than any other female artist, second only to … Read more
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
