West Virginia Division of Culture and History Story Archives

Entries Open for W.Va. Quilt, Wall Hangings Competition

Entries are being accepted for an annual quilt and wall hangings competition in West Virginia.

The state Division of Culture and History says in a news release it is accepting entries for the West Virginia Quilts and Wall Hangings Juried Exhibition until April 26.

The 38th annual exhibition opens May 24 with an awards ceremony at the annual Vandalia Gathering at the state Culture Center in Charleston. The exhibition runs through Sept. 16.

Quilt awards are $750 for first place, $400 for second place and $300 for third place in each of several categories. Wall hangings will receive $400 for first place, $300 for second place and $200 for third place.

Entries can be mailed or hand-delivered to exhibits coordinator Cailin Howe at the Culture Center.

W.Va. Awarded Funds to Promote Arts & Culture

West Virginia’s arts and culture just got a boost through a federal grant.

The National Endowment for the Arts, or NEA, awarded West Virginia nearly $800,000 this week to support programs that aim to preserve the state’s cultural history and promote arts education.

According to a release from the NEA, the funds are meant to help provide access to the arts for people across the country and support programs that provide jobs to artists, administrators, and other creative workers.

The majority of West Virginia’s award will be given to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History – through a grant of more than $650,000. The Heritage Farm Foundation, which works to preserve and develop Old Central City in Huntington, will see $75,000 of the grant.

Other groups that will see some of the funds, include the West Virginia Humanities Council ($34,000), the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra ($15,000), and Allegheny Echoes ($10,000) – an organization based out of Marlinton that helps support summer workshops that focus on Appalachian arts and music.

West Virginia Agency Offering Tax Credit Training Program

The West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office is presenting a training session on a tax credit program and changes that become effective in January.

The session next week will include a presentation on changes to the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program passed by the West Virginia Legislature in October. The changes include an increase from 10 percent to 25 percent in the Commercial Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit.

The program is at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Hinton City Hall. It’s hosted by the Hinton Historic Landmark Commission and is free and open to the public.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History said in a news release the training session will also cover additional changes to the tax credit program, new requirements and an explanation of the program’s financial incentives.

Former Byrd Speechwriter to Discuss Late Senator

Author and former speechwriter for West Virginia’s late U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd plans to discuss the myths and reality of the influential Senate leader next Thursday in Charleston.

David Corbin, who worked for Byrd for 16 years and another decade for other Senate leaders, wrote “The Last Great Senator: Robert C. Byrd’s Encounters with Eleven U.S. Presidents”.

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History says he will appear in the Culture Center at the Capitol complex in a free evening program open to the public.

He holds a Ph.D. in labor history, and has taught for the University of Maryland.

He also authored books about the West Virginia’s southern coal fields from 1880 to 1922 and a history of the battles between unionists and coal companies.

World War I Exhibit Opening in West Virginia

Uniforms, artillery and weapons from World War I are included in a new exhibit at the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s Culture Center in Charleston.

The exhibit is being unveiled Saturday at the State Capitol Complex. The event runs from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and is open to the public.

The exhibit is titled “World War I: West Virginia in the War to End All Wars.” Items included are from battles on the Eastern and Western Fronts. Some have been donated from West Virginians and their families.

The event is being held to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I.

West Virginia Sets Deadline For Cultural Facilities Grants

The West Virginia Division of Culture and History has set a Sept. 1 deadline for applications for the second round of cultural facilities grants open to nonprofit arts and history groups and municipal agencies including school boards.

Grants can be used for renovation, construction and acquisition of property, including modifications to accommodate disabled individuals, for projects that will be completed between Oct. 1 and June 30, 2018.

Guidelines are posted online.

The division’s programs and services focus on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums.