All About the Morgan Arts Council
The official arts council of Morgan County, MAC has more than 450 individual and family members. MAC is governed by an elected board of artists and business people and staffed by a professional arts management team. A corps of dedicated volunteers work in all areas, from booking artists to curating gallery shows to staffing the box office at concerts and plays. New volunteers are always welcome. Financial support derives from West Virginia Commission on the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts grants, as well as other grantors: hotel/motel taxes, fundraising activities, membership fees and admissions.
MAC events include the popular Summer Concert in the Park series, Ice House Concerts, Arts Integration and Adopt-a-School programs in the Morgan County Schools, community theater productions, literary festivals, gallery shows, visual arts classes for adults and children, public art projects, media classes on videography, broadcasting and film, dance and movement classes, storytellers, and festivals.
MAC launched two new projects in 2014, Engage Berkeley Springs involves community members and visitors of all ages in co-creating public works of art under the guidance of professional artists. The Digital Media Center for Community Engagement (DMC) provides classes and creates original programming to be broadcast on the newly established PEG channel with Comcast and is streamed over the internet.
All these activities — and more — are aimed at accomplishing MAC’s stated mission:
Getting Art Out There
Board Members
Susan Kirchner, Vice President
Keith Unger, Treasurer
Susan Caperton, Secretary
Jeuli Bartenstein
Meghan Bauman
LeeAnn Brannon
Adriane Burton
Michael Dennis
Jane Frenke
Matt Hahn
Mary Hott
Jennifer Hughes
Lynn Lavin
Jane McCloud
Staff Members
Darren O’Neill, Executive Director
Linda Connor, Office and Events Administrator
Jill Klein Rone, Concert and School Coordinator
Eddy Rubin, Facilities & Gallery Coordinator
MAC History
Established at a public meeting in May 1977, the non-profit Morgan Arts Council has produced more than a thousand programs with nearly 2500 artists, benefitting thousands of visitors and residents including students in all county schools. Presentations have included concerts, arts workshops, pageants, craft studio tours, professional art shows, storytellers, theater and video festivals.
MAC’s leadership extends beyond arts programming. In 1993, MAC hosted the first West Virginia Arts Assembly. In 1995, it brought a Benedum Foundation project to the area which provided $80,000 in project grants to 39 groups and organizations from the Humane Society to the Boys and Girls Club. In 2000, MAC directed development of a county cultural and recreation plan.
Today MAC continues to grow its base of programs and activities.
Funders and Supporters
Major operational funding support in 2017 has been provided by:
West Virginia Commission on the Arts, National Endowment of the Arts, Hotel/Motel Tax Morgan County and Town of Bath, Eastern West Virginia Community Foundation, The Tom & Virginia Seely Foundation, CNB and other generous supporters.
Art & Elegance – Fundraising Event
MAC’s signature fundraising event, Art & Elegance, has traditionally been held in early November. The event has raised over $100,000 to benefit the facilities, programs and activities of the Morgan Arts Council. Visit Art & Elegance website (www.artandelegance.org) for more information. See a gallery of photos from previous events on Facebook.