BY ERIC DOUGLAS FOR WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Sometimes creativity requires breaking away from the normal routine and focusing on one’s work. Now in its sixth year, the New River Gorge Creative Residency at Lafayette Flats in Fayetteville, W. Va. allows writers and visual artists a quiet place to stay and make art. 

When Shawn Means and Amy McLaughlin opened LaFayette Flats as a boutique vacation rental space in Fayetteville, they wanted to “change the narrative” about the state. They began by decorating their four rental suites with West Virginia art and loading shelves with books by West Virginia authors…

Read + listen to the full story on the West Virginia Public Broadcasting site »

BY ARIN SHATTO, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AMERICORPS VISTA, THE HUB

8-year-old Oakvale native Brady Walker, a singer, actor, and community leader, is driving change in the neighboring community of Princeton. Inspired by the Create Your State convening, a multimedia educational presentation and workshop that inspires and empowers creative community revitalization and development, Brady collaborated with the Princeton-based change-maker Lori McKinney to create a similar experience for young people in the area.

The duo spent two months brainstorming ideas for the inaugural event including traveling artboards, discussing volunteer opportunities, identifying mentors, and more! Last last year, their vision became reality!

Stages Music School, a space that cultivates creativity and self-expression, was the location for the event. Each young person that entered the room was beaming with excitement as they found their seats. Lori and her sister Melissa welcomed each person warmly and created an inviting space for all.

After introductions, the group began discussing project ideas that they would like to lead in their communities. These ideas ranged from revitalizing a local football stadium to supporting a nearby animal shelter to designing a youth-focused mural in downtown Princeton and beyond.

Brady mentioned a broad theme that encapsulated each of his comrades’ ideas: be mindful. When asked to explain what that phrase meant to him, the words kindness, caring, and weird were brought to the surface.

The group collectively supported this initiative and expressed great interest in acting upon it!

What I marveled most about participating in this convening was observing each young person share their ideas and witnessing others grin from ear to ear and clap for their fellow peers. The support was heart-warming and served as a powerful example of young people intentionally organizing and collaborating to create innovative changes in their community!

I am anxiously awaiting to see what will come from this group of young people and the ripple effect that their actions will have in other communities across West Virginia.

BY ERIN HRIN FOR THE TIMES WEST VIRGINIAN

People using the crosswalk at the intersection of Monroe and Adams streets in Fairmont might have to look twice.  That’s because a school of seven fish now appears to be swimming over the pavement, thanks to the efforts of some volunteers seeking to beautify the downtown area. On Saturday, members of Main Street Fairmont and students from Fairmont State University painted the images of the fish on the crosswalk, where, appropriately, the Feast of the Seven Fishes Festival is held each year.

The group also painted a patriotic design…

Read the full story on the Times West Virginian website »

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

“Appalachian Futures,” West Virginia University Libraries’ new year-long exhibition, addresses the current dominant narratives about Appalachia in a new way, by looking at how the people of Appalachia have worked and will work to rewrite their own story.

The exhibit officially opens on Sept. 3, with a reception from 5-7 p.m. in the Milano Reading Room in WVU’s Downtown Campus Library. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with games inspired by West Virginia history and designed by collaborative teams of art, media and computer science students.

Synthesizing humanities research, art and civic action, the exhibit invites viewers to explore the often overlooked communities of Indigenous Appalachia, “Affrilachian” (African American in Appalachia), and queer Appalachia. Examine Appalachian tradition and culture; the intersections between extraction industries, new technology, and science; literacies and education in Appalachia; as well as speculative futures for the region. Contributors include WVU and regional scholars, community groups and artists.

There are many events and programs planned in association with this exhibition – check out the Appalachian Futures exhibition page on the WVU Libraries site to find out more information.

BY EMMA PEPPER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, THE HUB

The team behind Create Your State – an initiative to spark community revitalization through the arts – is holding their first Create Your State Convening on October 11-13 for all communities who have participated in the initiative in the past, as well as any motivated West Virginians who are interested in learning more about how collaborating with members of the arts community can be an innovative leverage point for community and economic development.

To find out more and register for the event, visit the Create Your State site »

Watch Lori McKinney share a bit about this event:

From the organizers:

“Experience firsthand the transformative impact the arts have made in downtown Princeton while meeting collaborators who are doing similar visionary work around the state.

Tour the venues that make up Princeton’s creative community; learn from informative panel discussions about public art, festival organizing, gallery co-ops, and more; and enjoy live music, delicious food, and a FUN day on the town in the Grassroots District. 

Rejuvenate with nature in rustic accommodations in nearby Pipestem provided by the beautiful Appalachian South Folklife Center—the ‘magical mountaintop’ where it all started for the CYS founders, the annual home of Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival. Enjoy bonfires, cookouts, and inspired conversations with changemaking allies.

Share your inspirations, challenges, solutions, and questions about transforming your town. Network with other forward-thinkers and amplify your impact as we all support one another in creating our state!”

To find out more and register for the event, visit the Create Your State site »