Thirty artists, artist administrators, and arts funding organization leaders will visit Patrick County on Thursday, July 20, to learn about the county’s vibrant rural art and creative economy. The visitors will be participating in the Artists Thrive Summit to be held in Winston Salem, North Carolina, on July 18-21. This summit is supported by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.

Summit participants have an opportunity to take a field trip to learn how the arts have made a positive impact in communities. Those attending the field trip to Patrick County will visit Virginia Tech’s Reynolds Homestead where they will interact with youth participating in the annual Art Summer Camp as well as tour the historic property. The homestead — part forest research project, part community gathering place, and part educational and cultural center — serves as the region’s gateway to Virginia Tech’s vast resources and expertise.

Participants will also visit the Envision Critz property to learn about plans for the Critz Community Center to be developed on the twelve-acre property the non-profit recently purchased.

Following lunch at Pickle & Ash, the tour will continue in downtown Stuart with a visit to Calliope, where Bull Mountain Artists will have an exhibit and be on hand to talk about their work. The group will also visit a Pop-Up Rise and Shine Market to be held in the Farmers’ Market from 2-4 p.m., and the Star Theatre where they will learn more about plans for the theater and about the vibrant music community in Patrick County.

Reynolds Homestead became involved in the Artists Thrive organization through the Air Collaborative, which provides the curriculum for the Air Shift and Evolve programs the Homestead has employed within the county to create community projects such as Trail H.A.N.D.S., the Barn Quilt Trail, and the Rise and Shine Market. Additionally, the Evolve Program has helped participants develop business plans including Pickle & Ash, Calliope, Patrick County Business Recovery Center, Stuart Tap House, Star Theatre and New Leaf Energy. 

The Reynolds Homestead appreciates those who have participated in the Air Shift and the Evolve programs taking time to meet with our visitors and providing information on the impact these programs have made in our county”, said Julie Walters Steele, Director of the Reynolds Homestead. “We also hope community members will come out to meet our visitors during the Rise and Shine Market”.

The Reynolds Homestead has been serving the region as an outreach and engagement center of Virginia Tech for more than 50 years.