Spring of 2025
Arts Array is a VHCC-sponsored series of
Cover Art Winner for Arts Array Spring 2025
The winner of the competition for the Arts Array cover design is Trinity Puckett!
Who can ATTEND?
Most of our Arts Array events are free and open to the public.
and more!
Please see the individual event to learn if an RVSP is required or if there is an additional cost associated with attendance.
Our PARTNERS
Barter Theatre
King University
University of Virginia’s College at Wise Washington County Public Library System
Our
SPONSORS
William King Museum of Art Virginia Commission for the Arts Virginia Highlands Festival
If you would like to sponsor the Arts Array program or a specific Arts Array event, contact Debbie McCroskey at (276) 739-2536.
Need more INFORMATION?
For additional information about the Arts Array please contact:
=Music =Visual Arts =Theatre =Film = Literary =Combined
Student Portrait Show
Monday, December 16 - Wednesday, January 29
VHCCArtGallery,LRC
Stop by the campus gallery to view portraits drawn by VHCC students in the Introduction to Drawing course. The VHCC Art Gallery is located in the campus library in the LRC building, which is open during regular business hours.
Thelma
Wednesday, January 29 • 6 pm
Thursday, January 30 • 2 pm
ISC-130•RatedPG-13•Action,Comedy
When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.
Washington County Public Schools Art Show
Monday, February 3 – Thursday, February 27
VHCCArtGallery,LRC
Visit the campus gallery to view works of art made by students enrolled in the public schools of Washington County, from elementary through high school. The VHCC Art Gallery is located in the campus library in the LRC building, which is open during regular business hours.
The Space Race
Tuesday, February 4 • 2 pm
Keyser-AdayTheatre•RatedPG-13•Documentary,Biography
Join our film professor, Tommy Bryant, for this special screening of The Space Race: The Untold Story of the First Black Astronauts, a documentary that explores the experiences of the first Black astronauts in America through archival film and interviews.
Reception for Washington County Public Schools Art Show
Thursday, February 6 • 6 pm - 8 pm
VHCCArtGallery,LRC
Come by the VHCC Art Gallery to celebrate the hard work and artistry of students in the Washington Country Public Schools who have their works of art exhibited in our campus gallery. The VHCC Art Gallery is located in the campus library in the LRC building.
Ceramic Hand-Decorated Plates Workshop
Friday, February 7 • 10 am – 1 pm
Art Lab – WKMA
RSVP Required!
Join us for a hands-on workshop in the Art Lab ceramics studio. Try your hand working with clay to create a ceramic tray or plate. Then, use colorful glazes to decorate it with hand-drawn illustrations. No prior experience is necessary. This event is presented in partnership with the Art Lab at William King Museum of Art. Space is limited to 15 participants. Contact Marie at mporterfield@vhcc.edu to reserve your spot!
Music Careers Series: Don’t Fret!
A Luthier’s Approach to Guitar Repair
Tuesday, February 11 • 2 pm –3 pm
MEC 114
Local singer-songwriter and luthier K.T. Vandyke will demonstrate how he makes basic adjustments to guitars in his workshop Frog Level Guitar Shop. He will also discuss and answer questions about careers in instrument repair and as a singer-songwriter.
VHCC & King: Loving the Arts
Friday, February 14 • 10 am - 4 pm
VHCCCampus
Join us for a series of workshops around the theme of lovingtheartstaught by King University professors. This workshop series will include sessions on improv theatre, digital photography, and African drumming. The workshops will be scheduled in two sessions; one from 10 am to 12 pm and another from 1 pm to 3 pm. Those interested in attending may come for just one session or for the whole day. A snack break will include refreshments in the VHCC Collins Student Center for participants in either or both workshop periods. This workshop series is presented in partnership with King University. Spaces are limited in the workshops. RSVP to Dr.Whittington at rwhittington@vhcc. edu for music events. RSVP to Marie Porterfield at mporterfield@vhcc.edu for visual art and theatre events.
Music Careers Series: It’s Hammer Time!
The Engineering Inside the Piano
Tuesday, February 18 • 2 pm – 3 pm
MEC 114
Local piano technician Brian Wilson will demonstrate how the key action of a grand piano works to facilitate music making at the hands of a pianist. He will remove the keyboard from the piano and show audience members the incredibly intricate mechanisms by which the hammers work, and what might need repairing when they don’t work. He will also discuss the physics of tuning and how the piano is engineered to withstand the approximately 35,000 pounds of pressure of the piano strings.
Cyrano
Wednesday, February 19 • 6 pm
Thursday, February 20 • 2 pm
ISC-130•RatedPG-13•Musical,Romance Nobleman, military man, and poet Cyrano de Bergerac is secretly in love with Roxanne. However, his insecurity over his dwarf stature prevents him from professing his love, especially when Roxanne confesses that she’s interested in Christian, a recruit. Elated that Roxanne would like a guy like him, Christian feels anxious about speaking to her. Cyrano agrees to ghostwrite love letters for him.
Music Careers Series: Be Not Afraid!
Managing Stage Fright for Performers
Tuesday, February 25 • 2 pm – 3 pm
MEC 114
Whether you’re a musician, actor, or another type of performer or public speaker, we are all occasionally susceptible to stage fright. Dr. Lisa Withers from Emory & Henry University will discuss methods for managing performance anxiety that not only relieve stress and pressure, but enable better more efficient performances.
Stopmotion
Wednesday, February 26 • 6 pm
Thursday, February 27 • 2 pm
ISC-130•RatedR•Disturbing,Horror
Ella is a talented young stop-motion animator with a unique and unusual imagination. Yet when her domineering, estranged mother inexplicably passes away, Ella struggles to unpack her complicated emotions regarding her mother. As she continues to navigate the complex web of grief, her longburied demons begin to haunt her work.
Worldbuilding in Fantasy Workshop with
Author Kelly Ann Jacobson
Tuesday, March 4 • 2 pm – 3:30 pm
VHCCLibrary
Taught by Dr. Kelly Ann Jacobson, an award-winning author of several young adult novels, “Worldbuilding in Fantasy” will go over the elements of a strong setting and then will help writers build their own fantasy worlds from the ground up. From solar system maps to historical timelines to their own languages, this workshop will give any writer at any level the tools to deepen their setting to create a believable backdrop for their story. There will also be time for Q&A about any aspect of writing and publishing.
Metropolis
Wednesday, March 5 • 6 pm
Thursday, March 6 • 2 pm
ISC-130•RatedPG-13•Anime,Sci-fi,Action
Spectacular visuals highlight director Rintaro’s acclaimed Japanese anime set in a futuristic, regimented society where humans and robots are at odds.
Marcy Parks Painting Exhibition
Monday, March 17 – Monday, May 5
VHCCArtGallery,LRC
Marcy Parks is an artist whose paintings explore concepts of memories, histories, and stories and whose artistic practice examines painting as a means of healing from trauma. Her exhibition of works features paintings that are abstract, emotional, and expressive. The VHCC Art Gallery is located in the campus library in the LRC building, which is open during regular business hours.
Paint Your Feelings Workshop with Marcy Parks
Tuesday, March 18 • 2 pm - 3 pm
LRC-223
Join us for a “Paint Your Feelings” workshop taught by our visiting artist, Marcy Parks. In this workshop, participants will be taught methods to use the artistic process as a means to overcome stress, harness creativity, and embrace imperfection. No prior experience is necessary. Bring yourself and your feelings!
Space is limited to 15 participants. Contact Marie at mporterfield@vhcc.edu to reserve your spot!
Problemista
Wednesday, March 19 • 6 pm
Thursday, March 20 • 2 pm
ISC-130•RatedR•SurrealistComedy-Drama
Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream. From writer/director Julio Torres comes a surreal adventure through the equally treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system.
Echoes Across Mountains: the Chinese Guzheng Meets the Soul of Appalachia
Thursday, March 27 • 4 pm
SouthwestVirginiaCulturalCenterandMarketplace
In a program bridging the traditional Chinese guzheng music with the rich traditions of Appalachia, award-winning performer and musicologist
Haiqiong Deng will play a concert of traditional music for the zheng, or 21-string zither, blended with collaborations with local musicians from Appalachia. Presented in partnership with the Virginia Highlands Festival.
Performance Workshop with Haiqiong Deng
Friday, March 28 • 10 am -11 am
MEC 114
Dr. Haiqiong Deng will give an intimate introduction to the zheng, a 21-string Chinese zither, as well as the instrument’s performance practice. All are welcome to attend as listeners; audience members will be given the unique opportunity to try out the zheng themselves.
Workshop participants are invited to bring their own instruments and make music with Dr. Deng. If you plan to bring your own instrument, please RSVP to Dr. Whittington at rwhittington@vhcc.edu.
Whimsical Animals Printmaking Workshop
Friday, March 28 • 10 am – 1 pm
ArtLab–WilliamKingMusiumofArt
RSVP Required!
Join us for a hands-on workshop in the Art Lab printmaking studio to learn how to make woodcut prints of whimsical animals. This workshop is inspired by the works of the artist Adonna Khare, whose fantastical drawings are on display at the William King Museum of Art. No prior experience is necessary.
This event is presented in partnership with the Art Lab at William King Museum of Art.
Space is limited to 10 participants. Contact Marie at mporterfield@vhcc.edu to reserve your spot!
Improvisation Workshop with Tom Peterson, Part I
Thursday, April 3 • 2 pm – 3 pm
MEC 114
Local jazz musician Tom Peterson will lead an improvisation workshop, free and open to the public. Audience members will watch and learn as Tom plays saxophone and leads any musicians who want to participate through a group improvisation. Participants will have the weekend to hone their skills, and then return for part II of the workshop. All are welcome to attend as listeners.
If you’d like to participate on your instrument, please RSVP to Dr. Whittington at rwhittington@vhcc.edu. All instruments are welcome.
Hamlet
Thursday, April 3 • 7:30 pm
Barter’s Smith Theatre
RSVP Required!
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” On a dark night, the Ghost of Hamlet’s father reveals to Hamlet that his death was the result of murder. Now his murderer sits on the throne of Denmark and has taken Hamlet’s mother for his wife. Will Hamlet avenge his father’s death? This production, featuring Barter’s resident acting company, is Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy as you’ve never seen it before!
Tickets are limited. RSVP to mporterfield@vhcc.edu to request tickets. VHCC students and Arts Array partners are given preference for reservations.
VHCC Student Art Exhibition
Saturday, April 5 – Thursday, May 1
TheArtsDepot
Visit the Arts Depot in Abingdon to see an exhibition of VHCC student works of art made during the 2024-2025 academic year. Works include examples from courses in drawing, painting, graphic design, twodimensional design, three-dimensional design, and time-based art. This event is free and open to the public during the regular business hours for the Arts Depot.
Improvisation Workshop with Tom Peterson, Part II
Tuesday, April 8 • 2 pm – 3 pm
MEC 114
Tom Peterson’s workshop continues with part II. Having had the weekend to practice after the first workshop, participants will rejoin Tom for another jam session of improvisatory musicking. Be sure to attend this second session to hear how the music evolves. All are welcome to attend as listeners, even if you missed the first workshop.
AI & the Storyteller
Tuesday, April 8 • 2 pm
LRC 233
Join Courtney and Dillon from the VHCC Library for Part 2 of the AI & the Storyteller series to explore the use of generative AI as a supportive tool in the creative writing process. In this session, we will delve into the ways AI helps creative writers with character construction, plot holes, and more. If you’re interested in how AI tools are being used for brainstorming and editing, or want to learn more about how AI can help (or hurt) the creative process, come check out this workshop.
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Enchanted April
Thursday April 10 • 7:30pm
Friday, April 11 • 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 12 • 7:30 pm
Sunday April 13 • 2:30 pm
Keyser-AdayTheatre
‘To Those Who Appreciate Wisteria and Sunshine’, join us on the Italian Riviera for the story of four women who enter each other’s lives while splitting the cost of the rental of a small medieval castle along the Mediterranean. Two female friends from London who chose to rent the castle as an escape from their bleak marriages are joined by two very different women for an April that stirs their spirits and brings about unexpected changes. Poignant, moving, and gently funny, this rendition of Enchanted April by the VHCC Theatre Department is sure to delight.
Batik Fabric Dyeing Workshop
Friday, April 11 • 10 am – 1 pm
Art Lab – WKMA
RSVP Required!
Join us for a fabric dyeing workshop in the Art Lab at William King Museum of Art, where you will learn how to use wax to create beautiful designs on hand-dyed fabric. No prior experience is necessary. This event is presented in partnership with the Art Lab at William King Museum of Art. Space is limited to 15 participants. Contact Marie at mporterfield@vhcc.edu to reserve your spot!
Meet the Artists: VHCC Student Art Exhibition Reception
Saturday, April 12 • 2 pm – 4 pm
TheArtsDepot
Join us for art, snacks, and conversation at the Meet the Artists Reception for the VHCC Student Art Exhibition at the Arts Depot in Abingdon. This event is free and open to the public.
The Pez Outlaw
Wednesday, April 16 • 6 pm
Thursday, April 17 • 2 pm
ISC-130•RatedTV-PG•Documentary
Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan farmer, boards a plane for Eastern Europe soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall. His mission is to locate a secret factory that holds the key to the most desired and valuable pez dispensers. If he succeeds, he will pull his family out of poverty and finally find a purpose in his mundane life.
Old-Time String Band Concert
Monday April 21 • 7 pm
Keyser-AdayTheatre
Join us for an evening of music featuring the fabulous VHCC OldTime String Band under the direction of Mary Munsey. Students and community members form this band of music enthusiasts who are all enrolled in the VHCC Old Time String Band course, which has been offered on our campus each spring since 2012. Members of the group have ranged in age from 8 to 92 in past sessions.
Creative Cove Student Talent Extravaganza
Thursday, April 24 • 2 pm
Keyser-AdayTheatre
Join us for a celebration of student talent in this fun-filled afternoon event. VHCC students will showcase their music, art, and talent on stage in this open-call student talent extravaganza. Perhaps we will even have some surprises as our students take to the stage! This event is a collaboration between the Creative Cove Art Club and Arts Array. Students interested in participating should email Marie at mporterfield@vhcc.edu to register.
Seasons of Love: VHCC Choral Ensembles
Thursday, May 1 • 7 pm – 8 pm
Keyser-AdayTheatre
Join VHCC’s Choral Ensembles for their spring concert. Our program weaves together multiple musical styles around the themes of love and connection, including Renaissance-era selections by Tallis and Palestrina, works by André Thomas, Gwyneth Walker, and Elaine Hagenberg, and choral settings of musical theatre hits.
Karen Copenhaver Painting & Drawing Exhibition
Wednesday, May 7 – Friday, August 29
VHCCArtGallery•LRC
Visit the campus gallery during the summer semester to view lovely works of art made by one of our talented VHCC community artists, Karen Copenhaver. Her paintings and drawings are gestural, thoughtful, and deeply appreciative of the beauty of the natural world. The VHCC Art Gallery is located in the campus library in the LRC building, which is open during regular business hours. =Music =Visual Arts =Theatre =Film = Literary =Combined
What is Arts Array?
Arts Array is a VHCC-sponsored series of arts events that offers a diverse range of cultural experiences to both students and the wider community.
Here’s a summary of key aspects:
• Variety: The program encompasses a wide spectrum of artistic disciplines, including film screenings, musical concerts, theater performances, art exhibitions, lectures, and more.
• Accessibility: All Arts Array events are free and open to students, their families, and the public, making them accessible to a broad audience.
• Community Enrichment: The program aims to enrich the lives of community members by providing opportunities to engage with and appreciate various forms of art.
Essentially, Arts Array serves as a vital platform for promoting artistic expression and fostering a vibrant cultural environment within the VHCC community and beyond.
Want to support our mission?
Community support expands our ability to provide valuable cultural experiences like the ones offered by the VHCC Arts Array series.
As a Business or Individual Sponsor, you will help the VHCC Arts Array Program with our mission to provide students and the people in our community opportunities to experience, enjoy, and support the visual, musical, film, and performing arts that can help bring us all together. Specifically, these include:
• Facilitating a series of musical concerts featuring outstanding performers
• Providing opportunities to visit art exhibits, artist talks, and places of artistic interests
• Hosting various theatre events both on and off campus
• Screening independent, foreign and award-winning films Please support the Arts Array Program Series by becoming a sponsor or making a donation here.
www.vhcc.edu/arts-array-sponsorship
