CHARLES TOWN – The Old Opera House Theatre Company will serve as host to the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s (WVDCH) Arts staff as they bring the statewide listening tour to the Eastern Panhandle on Monday, November 14 at 10:00am at the Old Opera House Theatre in Charles Town. Community members are invited to be part of the conversation that will help inform how state and federal arts dollars will be spent to support arts programs. Arts administrators, arts educators, artists and arts consumers and audience members are invited to participate in this informal conversation. The meeting is free and open to the public and will last an hour and a half.

Arts staff will hold a series of meetings across the state to listen to the needs and comments of community members. The information gathered will be used to develop new programs and policies for grants available to community, schools and artists through state and federal funding.

The arts staff will provide discussion starter questions to begin the conversation at each listening tour stop. For more information on the State Arts Plan and the programs and services of the West Virginia Commission on the Arts contact Jeff Pierson at 304-558-0240 ext. 717 or jeff.a.pierson@wv.gov .

For information on the Arts Listening Tour stop in Charles Town contact Steven Brewer at ooh@oldoperahouse.org or (304) 725-4420.