Kingsport's Renaissance Center houses many arts organizations as well as art exhibitions and performances. (Photo by Jeffrey Stoner, www.jeffreystonerphotography.com)
There is talk about a renaissance of the arts in Abingdon, Va., but Kingsport, Tenn., already has the term "Renaissance" locked up - Kingsport's Renaissance Center houses many of the city's arts organizations.
A recent article in the Bristol Herald Courier reported that Abingdon, Va., is on its way to becoming the next big art town – the next Asheville, N.C.
The same could be said of Kingsport, Tenn., less than an hour's drive from Abingdon.
According to the newspaper article, "The more we've got, the more we'll get. That's the whole point," said John Buckland, owner of the newly opened Blue Windmill Galleries. "Everybody's always talking about competition, but I wish there were a dozen art galleries on Main Street in Abingdon because it helps make it an arts destination for tourists."
A! Magazine for the Arts recently asked several "movers and shakers" in downtown Kingsport if their city is aiming to be an arts center, like Abingdon and Asheville.
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-- In Her Own Words: Bonnie Macdonald
