Festival of the Arts 2024

Southwest Virginia Community College is hosting The Festival of the Arts, which will take place from April 4th to 28th. The theme for the upcoming 2024 month-long celebration is “Our French Connections.” The festival’s lineup includes a variety of performances, exhibits, and events featuring guest artists and a series of events organized by the college’s School of the Arts.

The core part of the festival will include performances by the Knoxville Symphony Chamber Orchestra, the Southwest Virginia Community Chorus, pianists Pavlina Dokovska and Vladimir Valjarevic, soprano Clara Lisle, and three performances by Camerata Virtuoso New York in Bluefield, Tazewell, and Lebanon. The festival will also feature Piano Times Three, with pianists Pavlina Dokovska, Vladimir Valjarevic, and Joseph Trivette, and a performance by the Richmond Ballet.

The Cultural Walk will return, presented by students, faculty, staff at Southwest, and community members, with assistance from Randy and Julie Forehand. A buffet catered by Your Grate Escape will precede the Cultural Walk, with cuisine prepared from French recipes. Festival sponsors at the $500 and $1000 levels will receive complimentary reservations to the dinner. Buffet tickets are $25, and advance reservations are requested by April 15. Reservations should be sent to morgan.gilbert@sw.edu.

The School of the Arts will sponsor a Festival Student Art Exhibit, a French Movie Marathon, an Empty Bowls Dinner, a Dance Masterclass by the Richmond Ballet. There will also be a concert by Nelly’s Echo, EagleCon, and a cooking class for French macarons.

Thanks to generous donors who make this festival possible, all performances are free of charge.

Southwest Virginia Community College has hosted the Festival of the Arts since 1995. The festival has celebrated the arts from a variety of cultures and regions, including Spotlight on American: From Sea to Shining Sea, Germany, Italy, Appalachia, Austria, England, Russia, France, Spain, Latin America, Africa and Her Legacy, Eastern Europe, Along the Silk Road, Shakespeare, The Diversity of Dance, A Fusion of Cultures, and Spotlight on the Movies, among others. Each year, the festival brings together a diverse array of performances, exhibits, and events that highlight the richness of the arts.

For more information and Cultural Walk Dinner reservations, contact Morgan Gilbert at morgan.gilbert@sw.edu or visit sw.edu/festival for the latest updates and a full calendar of events.