Blacksburg, Virginia is probably best known for its university with a focus on technology. But the town is looking to develop another aspect of its personality - the artistic side. The Blacksburg Partnership Collaborative for the Arts is inviting area artists to a series of 'coffee house get-togethers' over the next several months to find out what they need to thrive there.
According to Trip Advisor, the number one tourist destination in Blacksburg is Lane Stadium, home of the Hokies, but another iconic building, the Moss Arts Center, is also a destination - drawing crowds for its presentations, exhibits and performances.
Blacksburg has been counting up its artsy assets: a handful of galleries, the cherished Lyric Movie theater, and a new cultural foundation in the beautifully restored Alexander Black House once owned by a relative of the town’s namesake - which turns out to be the perfect place for a series of gatherings with local artists to explore how Blacksburg can support and expand the creative community here.
"The first way to do that is to sit down with the various artists and creative folks and find out what life is like for them," says Ruth Waalkes, Executive Director of the Moss Arts Center. "What are the challenges, what are the gaps?"
Waalkes is also co-chair of the Blacksburg Partnership Collaborative for the Arts, which is the group holding what will be a series of discussions for local artists of all kinds and people who would like to be.
“You know, we want artists and creative people to come to this community and make this their home and have this be a place where they can make work and feel an important part of the community itself,” she says.
That’s not always easy because artists are often solitary, needing long hours of undisturbed time for inspiration and concentration, and that may be why many have a low profile.
"I personally feel that of all the arts, writers are the most neglected in this community," says Jane Goette, a teacher and writer who moved from New Orleans to Blacksburg in 1977.
She says Blacksburg back then was a sleepy town famous for its engineering school, but that it’s changed a lot since then, and while it may not have some of the advantages for artists that more populated, urban areas do, that’s actually a positive for some.
“We know that we have a lot of talented artistic people here who could probably do more if they went to an urban area but there is something about this community," she says. "There's something about the mountains, about the beauty, about the small town feel of this area that keeps creative people wanting to be here because somehow all those are ingredients that for some of us help feed our creativity.”
Another issue many people mentioned may seem strange in this world of instant communication and social media; it's the difficulty in getting the word out about events taking place in the community.
There's something about the mountains, about the beauty, about the small town feel of this area that keeps creative people wanting to be here because somehow all those are ingredients that for some of us help feed our creativity.
Writer Lesley Hand says she works a less technological method to spread the good word about the arts in Blacksburg.
She calls herself ‘an ambassador’ for the Moss Arts Center, “I talk it up all the time. I save all the programs, so when I have people in my home, I can talk about it and then say 'Oh look at this,' and I think that’s what it takes," she says. "We all have to do that. We all have to know about these things. We all have to experience them and we have to promote them. We have to be cheerleaders for our own community and the wonderful things going on here.”
There are 3 more artists’ gatherings, the next one focusing on Dance and Theater people, one on Musicians and another on Visual Arts and Artisans.
But any and all artists, current and aspiring, are welcome at the sessions as well as people who just want to do their part to support the arts in their community.
Here's a link to connect to arts events in Blacksburg, where you can find a community calendar and more.
There are 3 more Artists Coffee Houses coming up: 5:30 - 7:30 at The Alexander Black House 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA
Dance & Theater: Jan. 19, 2017
Musicians: Feb. 9 ,2017
Visual Artists and Artisans: Feb. 23, 2017