Published: March 19, 2009 05:53 pm      

All about the arts

BLUEFIELD — aIn an effort to celebrate Mercer county’s thriving arts community, artists and members of the community will celebrate All Together Arts Week starting March 28 - April 4. The kick-off event will be held on March 28 at the Brushfork Armory from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. According to event coordinator Lori McKinney, ATAW will offer the community a chance to learn more about the arts.

“We hope to unite the area’s various arts groups and artists and show that Mercer County offers a flourishing arts community and is fast growing into an arts destination for tourists,” McKinney said.

ATAW is a project of the Create Mercer County Team, which developed through workshops with the organization Create West Virginia. Create Mercer County shares a common purpose, hoping to revive and help towns and communities grow by attracting and retaining creative individuals, a crucial natural resource.

The Mercer County Commission passed a resolution on Dec. 9, 2008, declaring March 28 to April 4 as All Together Arts Week. McKinney hopes it will become an annual event. The resolution recognizes the great potential of collaboration and cooperation among artists and arts groups and notes the positive effects the cooperation could have on the entire community.

At the kickoff event, arts organizations from across Mercer County will have tables promoting various programs. All Mercer County artists will have the opportunity to showcase their work. Special displays and performances will feature artists nominated by participating organizations.

All Together Arts Week events throughout the week will include a poetry slam at the Bluefield Area Arts and Science Center, an open house at Gary Bowling’s House of Art in Bluefield, The Cashore Marionettes at Concord University in Athens, a performance of the W.Va. Symphony Orchestra at the Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton, a Discover Downtown Princeton event including an evening with the RiffRaff Arts Collective, an anniversary celebration for the new location of the Bronze Look in downtown Princeton, an open mic and a Saturday Music Series at the Little Opry in Glenwood and a gospel brunch at Cafe Where? in downtown Princeton.

McKinney said that all Mercer County arts organizations are invited to set up a table at the kickoff event, free of charge. In addition, each organization may nominate two visual artists and/or two performing artists to be showcased that day. Any Mercer County artist may submit one piece of work to be part of a huge, all-county display.

All Together Arts Week is an all inclusive, county-wide celebration and community participation is highly encouraged.

For more information about events with dates and times, visit www.alltogetherarts.com. For more information, call McKinney at (304)425-6425.