Southwest Virginia Community College’s School of the Arts invites you to their Media Day launch of their New Arts Initiative on Monday, September 9th at 11am in Dellinger Hall on the campus of Southwest Virginia Community College. The School of the Arts will highlight their reinvigorated visual arts program as well as upcoming programs in Dance, Theater, and Culinary Arts.
For 11 years, Southwest Virginia Community College has not had an art program. Now, that’s changing. The College has established a School of the Arts. The goal is to reestablish the visual arts program, and there will be new programs in dance, theater, and culinary arts.
For the Fall 2019 year, $12,000 in scholarships were given to incoming Fine Art majors. With a goal of 8 new Fine Art majors, this was doubled, starting the year with 16 new majors, according to Southwest representatives.
Morgan Wallace Gilbert will be leading the initiative as Instructor of Art and Director of the School of the Arts. Morgan Wallace Gilbert lives in Abingdon, VA and is a native of Russell County. She graduated from ETSU with a Bachelor’s in Studio Art and from University of Florida with a Master’s of Art Education. Winner of Clinch Valley Soil and Water Conservation District Teacher of the Year 2018. Her and her husband, Stephen, own Morgan’s Restaurant in Abingdon. Economic and community development is a driving force for Morgan in supporting Appalachian culture and the arts.
Southwest’s School of the Arts will also provide a community-based arts outreach program. This program will include collaborations with local artists and arts organizations, art events in local schools and more. Art events will begin this fall with a Saturday Dance Workshop Series, Leather Workshop, Holiday Baking Class, and more!
For more information, call Southwest at 276-964-2555 or visit our website at sw.edu
*Updated with photos from the event.
Featured on:
https://wvva.com/news/2019/09/09/new-arts-program-coming-to-southwest-virginia-community-college/
https://wcyb.com/news/local/southwest-virginia-community-college-opens-new-school-of-arts