Wise, VA– The Pro-Art Association concluded its 47th season with record-breaking attendance for the third consecutive year. The nonprofit served over 11,000 patrons across Wise, Lee, and Dickenson counties and the City of Norton—including over 7,300 students. “I’m really proud of the variety and diversity of this past season’s programming,” executive director Michael McNulty said, “and feel encouraged by our audiences’ agreement with that, as evidenced by the 30 percent increased attendance across the season.”
Pro-Art infused more jazz into its season, with performances from Boilermaker Jazz Band, Good Shot Judy, the Jason Cale Band, and South Korean band SE:UM’s recent residency at UVA Wise. Audiences got a taste of cultures from around the world as the organization featured performances from Afro-Puerto Rican comparsa Kadencia, Swiss-born Kruger Brothers, Mexilachian ensemble Lua Project, Tokyo native violinist Meg Okura, and another stunning performance from Chinese classical hammered dulcimer player Chao Tian—this time performing with Grammy award-winning American roots artistsCathy Fink&Marcy Marxer in their group From China to Appalachia.
This season, Pro-Art began a partnership with Mid Atlantic Arts and was invited to join their Jazz Touring Network to help facilitate artist travel to our region. Pro-Art also organized its first field trip—taking a group to Quebec and Montreal for a 10-day trip this spring. Other highlights of the 47th season included a touching performance from Richmond Ballet dedicated to founding member Lona Roberts, two beautiful adaptations of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” one by Bristol Ballet and the other by the UVA Wise Theater Division, and an evening of Celtic music at the Jettie Baker Center with Poor Man’s Gambit. Traditions continued with the 52nd annual Home Craft Days opening night concert at Mountain Empire Community College and a heart-warming holiday performance of “Frosty” from The Barter Players.
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