The Arts Organization of the Year award was given to ART26201, a Buckhannon-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to support art and artists in the Buckhannon-Upshur community. / Photo courtesy Allison Corbin and ART26201

ART26201 garners governor’s coveted Arts Organization of the Year accolade

CHARLESTON – A local volunteer organization dedicated to the arts earned a Governor’s Award for the Arts.

The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts presented the Governor’s Arts Awards in Charleston, Tuesday, March 1. The Arts Organization of the Year award was given to ART26201, a Buckhannon-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to support art and artists in the Buckhannon-Upshur community.

President of Art 26201 Bryson VanNostrand said the award demonstrates Buckhannon’s commitment to the arts.

“I think the real reward is just the communitywide recognition of Buckhannon’s prioritizing the arts,” VanNostrand said. “We’re doing good things as far as the state Arts, Culture and History folks are concerned. We want to promote this now — it’s not over, it’s just getting started, and we’ve got the support. Now, we need to promote it and celebrate it.”

He said ART26201 members were a little surprised they won, but they knew it was well-earned.

“There’s always a certain amount of disbelief, like, maybe all the other candidates weren’t feeling good, maybe no one else submitted, but I work all over West Virginia in small towns, working on historic buildings, trying to breathe new life into downtowns, and I would say there are very few towns in West Virginia who are using arts to support economic development like we are, and the reality is all of this is being done with volunteers,” VanNostrand said.

He expressed how vital volunteers have been in supporting and promoting the arts community in Buckhannon.

“It’s really being driven by volunteers and private donations,” VanNostrand said. “The Colonial Arts Center is a tax-dollar project primarily, but I don’t know many other small towns across West Virginia that are going to volunteer their time and their money to make something fun and completely useless. Most people would say the arts are not essential for day-to-day life, but they are what makes life better.”

ART26201 has several events coming up, including their next exhibit at the M.I.B Gallery.

“We have a long list of things that are in the works, some of which we’ve already received some funding for and some we are pursuing funding for,” VanNostrand said. “Firstly, the ongoing management of the gallery is a really big thing. We’re having 10 exhibitions a year, which is insane; it’s potentially double the number of exhibits for a regular gallery.”

The upcoming exhibit in March will feature Upshur County youth and April’s show will showcase cast-iron, three-dimensional sculpture.

“We’re pairing that with a four-day, iron-casting workshop, and we are also getting ready for our young storytelling camp and our young filmmaker’s camp,” VanNostrand said. “The interviews for the managing director position of the Colonial Arts Center have also started, so we should have a captain for the ship soon.”

During the March 1 presentation of the Governor’s Arts Awards at the Culture Center in the State Capitol Complex, ART26201 was one of 11 entities that received Governor’s Arts Awards. Ten Legislative Leadership Awards in the Arts were also presented.

According to a press release from the W.Va. Department of Arts, Culture and History, the Governor’s Arts Awards are presented biennially to celebrate the state’s creative spirit and the extraordinary talents of the people and groups that produce art. They also recognize those whose willingness to support arts organizations and artists helps to ensure the arts maintain an important place in communities and schools, the release says.

Featured

SHOPS & SERVICES

Buckhannon man held on $100,000 bail after being arrested on multiple drug charges

BUCKHANNON – A Buckhannon man was arrested Saturday after several illegal substances were allegedly found in his residence. Bryan Shaw, 41, of Buckhannon, was arrested for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver heroin, possession with […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Buckhannon City Council approves $6.5 million-dollar budget prioritizing public safety, infrastructure

BUCKHANNON – City council passed the largest budget in Buckhannon’s history Tuesday, with the two largest allocations once again earmarked for public safety operations and infrastructure maintenance, respectively. At its March 14 meeting – rescheduled from March 16 due to […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Police arrest man they say was the driver in 2022 pursuit that ended in a wreck with two people ejected

BUCKHANNON – A Rock Cave man was arrested for allegedly fleeing from police officers in a vehicle, injuring himself and a passenger. Elijah Carpenter, 27, of Rock Cave was arrested Thursday for fleeing from an officer and fleeing or attempting […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

SHOPS & SERVICES

Softball Lady Bucs get one-hit by Lincoln’s Haller in season debut

TENNERTON – For their season opener, the Buckhannon-Upshur softball Lady Bucs ran into one of the top pitchers in the state in Lincoln’s Delaney Haller. Haller was the Big 10 Conference Pitcher of the Year last season and was captain […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Baseball ‘Cats get home doubleheader split with ABU

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Wesleyan baseball team split with the Alderson Broaddus Battlers Monday, winning 7-2 in the first game and losing 7-0 in the second game. The bats were alive in Game

Inexperienced tennis Bucs fall in first two outings of 2023 season

BRIDGEPORT – The Buckhannon-Upshur tennis Buccaneers dropped their first two outings of the year last week. They opened their season at home last Thursday with a 7-0 setback to Robert C. Byrd and then went to Bridgeport Saturday and dropped […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

Lady Buc netters open season with win over Robert C. Byrd and narrow loss to John Marshall

BRIDGEPORT – The Buckhannon-Upshur Lady Buc tennis team is off to a 1-1 start to the season and was just an eyelash away from being a perfect 2-0. The Lady Bucs hosted Robert C. Byrd last Thursday and won a […]

Become a premium member to unlock immediate access to this story and thousands more. Plus you’ll wake up every morning to our email edition. Your subscription supports local news by local writers. Signing up is easy — just tap the button below!

SHOPS & SERVICES

Working in service: WVU research reaches all of West Virginia

Breakthroughs and research expertise nurtured at West Virginia University extend far beyond its labs, experimental sites and classrooms. In fact, WVU research efforts are unique compared to most universities, according to Vice President for Research Fred King. “While

Fairmont State University selects 2023 Presidential Scholarship winners

Three incoming Fairmont State University freshmen have been selected as the recipients of Fairmont State’s premier academic scholarship, the Charles J. McClain Presidential Scholarship. Sophie Stuart from Jefferson High School (Charles town, W.VA), Hailey Jordan

WVDEP hosting students on World Water Day

CHARLESTON, WV – In an effort to enrich students’ understanding of the importance of clean water, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) is hosting a water education event for area grade schools on