In the Mountain State, art and culture tend to be rooted in deep traditions. Reflecting the state’s rich rail heritage, the sound of steel wheels on a number of scenic train excursions moves the imagination. From folk and bluegrass to country and gospel, toe-tapping music, accented with Appalachian, Celtic and other notes, indelibly defines the West Virginia experience.
Natural resources played a significant role in the state’s development, such as early discoveries of fossil fuels, showcased at the Oil and Gas Museum in Parkersburg. Glassmaking is another tradition, with Fenton Art Glass in Williamstown, the largest handmade colored-glass manufacturer in the U.S., offering free tours featuring glassblowers at work.
Groups can also discover 22 landmark venues around the state on The West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The sights and sounds of art and culture are everywhere in historic, atmospheric West Virginia, including these eight memorable choices.
CLAY CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, CHARLESTON
www.theclaycenter.org
Opened in 2003, this engaging venue in the state’s capital offers the rare combination of performing arts, visual arts and sciences under one roof. Also home to the Avampato Discovery Museum and the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the 240,000-square-foot facility, one of only a few of its kind, is considered one of the state’s most ambitious economic, cultural and educational undertakings ever.
“Offering a unique variety of meeting spaces, the Clay Center is a wonderful choice for all types of conventions, parties and gatherings,” says Judy Wellington, the venue’s president and CEO. “Whether your needs command our 1,883-seat performance hall, our beautiful art gallery, an intimate lounge or a comfortable classroom, we have the perfect space for you.”
With exclusive on-site catering from Embassy Suites Hotel, the Clay Center’s versatile spaces also include the grand lobby and an outdoor sculpture garden.
HUNTINGTON MUSEUM OF ART, HUNTINGTON
www.hmoa.org
Scenically perched on a hill overlooking the city of Huntington, this dynamic cultural center, established more than five decades ago, offers groups a number of pleasing interactions with both art and nature on its 52-acre campus.
With an exceptional permanent collection that includes Ohio Valley glass, British silver, antique firearms and Near Eastern artifacts, the Huntington is named for city founder Collis P. Huntington, whose relatives founded the preeminent Huntington Library in San Marino, Calif.
“Boasting architecture by Walter Gropius and beautifully installed art galleries, the museum is a truly unique rental venue, best suited for presentations in its 280-seat auditorium, meetings for up to 25 people in its conference room and cocktail receptions and small weddings in the Great Hall,” says Margaret Mary Layne, executive director of the museum.
In addition to taking guided gallery tours, groups can explore the museum’s tropical plant conservatory and walk its wooded trails. PageBreak
MONONGALIA ART CENTER (MAC), MORGANTOWN
www.monartscenter.com
Opened in 1978, this nonprofit art and cultural venue is an attractive choice in the heart of Morgantown’s downtown historic district, near the campus of West Virginia University. Housed in the former Morgantown Post Office building, a neoclassical treasure from 1913 that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, MAC features monthly art exhibitions in two galleries and a wide range of performances in its intimate, black-box-style Tanner Theatre.
Offering classes and workshops in a variety of artistic fields, MAC, a popular local and regional draw, is also available for group functions and events.
“We can host between 100 and 125 people in the Tanner, and up to 60 in The Benedum Gallery,” says Lauren Riviello, media and advertising coordinator for the facility.
CAPITOL THEATRE, WHEELING
www.capitoltheatrewheeling.com
The largest of its kind in West Virginia, with more than 2,400 seats, this historic treasure from 1918 reopened to great fanfare in 2009.
“As Wheeling’s most iconic place of memories, the theatre had to be saved,” says Frank O’Brien, executive director of the Wheeling CVB, which owns the facility. “Reflecting the community’s positive spirit, hundreds of people volunteered to help paint and clean for the reopening.”
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theater was the birthplace of WWVA Radio’s Jamboree USA, which showcased legendary acts such as Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Now operated by the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority as part of a portfolio that includes the 6,000-seat Wesbanco Arena, the region’s leading multipurpose venue, the Capitol hosts a wide array of concerts, shows and performances. Groups can also rent the theater’s ballroom, which accommodates up to 450 people for receptions and other gatherings.
CARNEGIE HALL, LEWISBURG
www.carnegiehallwv.org
In 1902, steel titan and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie built the Lewisburg Female Institute a hall in this idyllic southern West Virginia town for use as classroom and performance space. Operating as a regional center for the visual and performing arts since 1983, this historic venue, a short drive from the fabled Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs and included on the West Virginia Historic Theatre Trail, is ideally suited for memorable events.
“From fundraising dinners on the newly renovated Hamilton Auditorium stage to wedding parties on the Ivy Terrace, our indoor and outdoor sites provide beautiful and unique settings for up to 400 guests,” says Jim Shock, the venue’s marketing director.
Specialized programs are also available, such as the new Tour/Concert Combo, which provides groups with a tour outlining the history of the hall followed by their own private mini-concert.
“Our experienced staff is prepared to roll out our green carpet to give our guests an unforgettable evening,” Shock says. PageBreak
AMERICAN MOUNTAIN
THEATER (AMT), ELKINS
www.americanmountaintheater.com
Known for its music and heritage festivals, centrally located Elkins, set amid the mountainous Monongahela National Forest, has become a major cultural destination thanks to this award-winning development anchor.
Opened in 2007 and located in the city’s historic Rail Yard district, the multimillion-dollar venue, with 537 seats, bills itself as the state’s first and only “Branson-style” music and comedy variety show. Marketed as “The Freshest Sound in the Mountains,” AMT, in partnership with local hospitality providers, is driving significant growth in the area. Expected to draw 35,000 visitors in 2012—triple the number from its inaugural year—AMT and partners generate some $6 million in economic impact for the region.
“We welcome all kinds of groups, offering discounts, ample parking and other amenities,” says Meggan Sexton, vice president of operations. “Planners have a number of options, such as pairing a show with an excursion on the scenic Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad, and we will work with your schedule for a guaranteed good time.”
APOLLO CIVIC CENTER, MARTINSBURG
www.apollo-theatre.org
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Eastern Panhandle city of Martinsburg relied heavily on entertainment to stay alive, with a number of theaters, motion picture houses and vaudevillian show palaces keeping locals engaged.
Opened in 1914, the Apollo, known locally as the “Miracle on East Martin Street,” is an enduring survivor of that era. Many name and management changes later, the shows go on at the Classical Revival style venue, another stop on the state’s Historic Theatre Trail.
Just over an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md., in the heart of festive, colorful Martinsburg, the theater’s auditorium and ballroom, seating 532 people, are available for events including weddings, receptions, recitals, lectures, films, workshops, conferences and performances. Planners can also rent audiovisual equipment from the Apollo.
ICE HOUSE, BERKELEY SPRINGS
www.macicehouse.org
As West Virginia’s first certified arts town, Berkeley Springs’ nationally recognized arts and cultural scene dates back to the founding of the local Morgan Arts Council (MAC) in 1977. Today, this award-winning organization makes its home in the Ice House, a 40,000-square-foot former apple cold storage building currently being renovated into a community art center.
Branded as “A Cool Place for Hot Art,” the four-floor Ice House offers several spaces for gatherings and events, including the Great Hall, a multipurpose area and three classrooms. Additionally, MAC serves as a dynamic cultural resource and hub for the area, offering programs including free summer concerts in scenic Berkeley Springs State Park, theatrical productions, art exhibitions and popular ArtWalks to mark show openings.
For regular Meetings Focus South contributor Jeff Heilman, one of the most artful experiences in West Virginia is crossing the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, a National Historic Landmark that opened in 1849 and briefly was the world’s longest span bridge.
