Oglebay Institute to Host Arts Listening Tour
for WV Division of Culture and History

WHEELING, WV – (July 28, 2009)-- Oglebay Institute will serve as host to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s (WVDCH) Arts staff as they bring the statewide listening tour to Wheeling at noon on Monday, August 17 at the Stifel Fine Arts Center, 1330 National Road. Community members are invited to be part of the conversation that will help inform how state and federal arts dollars will be spent to support arts programs in Wheeling. Arts administrators, arts educators, artists and arts consumers and audience members are invited to participate in this informal conversation. The meeting is free and open to the public and will last an hour and a half. Guests are encouraged to bring a bag lunch. Oglebay Institute will provide lemonade and cookies.

As part of the planning for the 2011-2013 State Arts Plan, arts staff will hold a series of meetings across the state to listen to the needs and comments of community members. The information gathered will be used to help prepare the state application to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and to develop new programs and policies for grants available to community, schools and artists through state and federal funding.

WVDCH Arts Director Jeff Pierson states, “We are very appreciative of the assistance given by local arts groups like Oglebay Institute in convening community members to help us gather the important information necessary to continue to provide support for arts experiences important to West Virginians. Each person’s thoughts and ideas are valuable as we develop our next state arts plan. We thank community members for joining us for this conversation.”

The arts staff will provide discussion starter questions to begin the conversation at each listening tour stop. Staff will record all comments for use in the development of the State Arts Plan, which will be posted on the division website www.wvculture.org for comment in October. For more information on the State Arts Plan and the programs and services of the West Virginia Commission on the Arts contact Jeff Pierson at 304-558-0240 ext. 717 or jeff.pierson@wvculture.org.

For information on the Arts Listening Tour stop in Wheeling call Oglebay Institute at 304.242.4200.