Martinsville, Virginia

Blog

Piedmont Arts Recognized for Excellence in Arts Education

On Friday, Piedmont Arts received a regional Shining Star award from Virginians for the Arts (VFTA), in partnership with the Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources, Inc. In addition to the award, Piedmont Arts also received a cash prize of $5,000.

VFTA’s statewide Dominion ArtStars awards celebrate arts and education in the community, recognizing arts organizations that best demonstrate and advance the synergy of arts and education. These awards emphasize the contributions of arts organizations through their partnership and collaboration with schools across the Commonwealth. 

“This year, we were particularly impressed with the quality of the programs offered throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said VFTA President John “Butch” Davies, III. “Every corner of the state, from the smallest towns to our larger cities, showcased programs dedicated to inspiring and enriching the lives of underserved students.”

Piedmont Arts was chosen as a 2015 award recipient for its excellence in arts education. The museum engages students in Martinsville-Henry County through performing and visual arts programs that enhance and expand the core curriculum, making lessons more relevant than a textbook alone ever could. 

The museum’s programs are carefully chosen for artistic quality and to challenge students’ creativity and critical thinking skills through the arts. There are numerous examples of innovative outreach programs, including 13 art Treasure Chests, developed by Piedmont Arts to align with and enhance teaching of the Virginia Standards of Learning, which contain museum replicas, lesson plans, music, clothing and other items. Available to teachers free of charge, the chests include Ancient Egypt, Ancient China, Ancient Mali, The Underground Railroad, Jamestown, Shakespeare, Ancient Greece and Rome and others.

“As a parent, I have seen firsthand the value that Piedmont Arts programming provides to youth in our community. From Treasure Chests to outreach programs which help engage students in art through fun, creative ways, Piedmont Arts is a valuable partner in our local education system,” said Tiffani Underwood, Executive Director of United Way of Henry County and Martinsville.