Petersburg 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 area Aug. 19 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Landes Arts Center at 18 Mountain View St.

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 groups in our area. 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.

As part of the planning for the 2011-2013 State Arts Plan, WVDCH staff will host a series of meeting across the state to listen to the needs and comments of community members. The information gathered will be used to help prepare the state application to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and to develop new programs and policies for grants available to communities, schools and artists through state and federal funding.

"We are very appreciative of the assistance given by local arts groups like Grant County Arts Council in convening community members to help us gather the important information necessary to continue to provide support for arts experiences import to West Virginians," said WVDCH Arts Director Jeff Pierson. "Each person's thoughts and ideas are valuable as we develop our next state arts plan.

"We thank community members for joining us for this conversation," he said

The arts staff will provide discussion starter questions to begin the conversation at each listening tour stop. Staff will record all comments for use in the development of the State Arts Plan, which will be posted on the Division Web site www.wvculture.org for comment in October.

For more information on the State Art Plan and the programs and services of the West Virginia Commission on the Arts, call Pierson at 304-558-0240, ext. 717, or e-mail jeff.pierson@wvculture.org.

For information on the Arts Listening Tour stop in Petersburg, call Nancy Cooley at 304-257-2144 or e-mail dcooley2@frontiernet.net.