VCCA Celebrates International Milestone with Public Event

Mark calendar for Oct. 17

From staff reports

Peter Mayer’s 1998 untitled terra cotta horse sculpture is part of the exhibit.


Jens Barnieck

In 1988, two upstart artist fellowship programs agreed on an experiment. The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and the Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus, located in the picturesque Bavarian village of Schwandorf, each agreed to send two of their own artists to be in residence at the other place.

In 1989, the first two Americans went to Germany. Twenty years later, 100 artists have traveled back and forth, with exhibitions, translations, concerts and events in their wake. A wonderful relationship has developed among the artists and administrators of the two organizations, often resulting in friendships that have lasted for many, many years.

The VCCA is celebrating this milestone on Saturday, Oct. 17, with art and music created by the exchange artists. The event, to be held in the Fellows Residence at Mt. San Angelo, is free and open to the general public and includes an art exhibition from 3 to 5 p.m. and a concert of music for piano by Bavarian composer Jens Barnieck from 5 to 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served. All art featured in the exhibition is for sale.

Several American and German fellows who have participated in the exchange will attend the event. In addition, the director of the Oberpfälzer Künstlerhaus, Heiner Riepl, and the organization’s board president will be on hand to make remarks.

The VCCA’s international exchange program, with seven artist communities abroad, is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. And this event is a rare opportunity for the public to visit the VCCA and meet artists from around the world.

For more information about the event, call 946-7236 or e-mail vcca@vcca.com .