Thursday, March 21, 2024 from 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Blacksburg Public Library or via Zoom

The School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech presents “The Power and Practice of Art in Healthy Communities,” a series of talks by nationally recognized artists and thought leaders on the power and practice of art and culture as essential elements of healthy communities.

Harold Steward will offer cultural strategies that have been shaped and refined over an already substantial career in the arts as an effective producer, community builder, and national thought leader.  As the recently appointed executive director of one of the nation’s leading arts funding organizations, the New England Foundation for the Arts, Harold will bring a critically important perspective as we all engage with the highly impactful consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the social upheavals shaping our daily lives.

These public presentations are meant to lead to open dialogue on the practical values of art as a core element for building strong communities.  The speakers will share their artistic visions and journey in the context of the communities they serve while exploring the new realities their organizations are facing in a changing field impacted by social and political movements.