Art Is a Catalyst for Connection

BY LIBBY WILLIAMS

As summer comes to an end, so does our Season of Celebration at Woodstock Arts. As we look back on the year, one word stands out: community. Luckily enough, A Season of Community is the theme for our upcoming year. The arts are among our most powerful tools for building community.

Everyone has an important part to play in building a vibrant and inclusive community, and the arts can be a catalyst for that change. We cannot do this work alone. It takes the support of a dedicated community of patrons, volunteers and donors to make it happen.

This sense of community has inspired our directors to choose artists, stories, musicians and festivals to celebrate and explore what it means to be a community, through all of the peaks and valleys of life.

Artistic Director Zach Stolz, in planning his theater lineup, said: “In its most true form, every theater should be a community theater, a place that represents and tells the stories of those who support it, those who create it and those who champion it.”

From “Steel Magnolias” to “Into the Woods,” audiences will be able to find stories about communities they recognize, and will be able to learn about communities they don’t know. Our Lantern Series follows suit, bringing familiar faces, including The Lone Bellow and Penny and Sparrow, as well as artists like Bassel and the Supernaturals, who will be bringing their Syrian funk-inspired tunes to the heart of downtown Woodstock.

Our visual arts season is full of opportunities for local artists to be celebrated, as well as bringing in art from all over the world. Due to popular demand, “Small Town: Small Works” and “Creative Kids” will be returning to the Reeves House this winter. If you are an artist, or have a future artist in your household looking to be a part of his or her community, connect with us this season!

If you have been looking for a chance to find yourself in your community, look to the arts to help you. Studies show people who engage with the arts are more than twice as likely to volunteer in their communities! Whether you are a seasoned arts enthusiast or new to the world of arts and culture, there are more than 500 events in the next year, and something special will be here for you.

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