Many Fairfax County arts organizations and artists have shared recent initiatives and success stories with us. Please keep them coming! Sharing successes with peers is inspiring and helps improve the field as a whole.

Our arts organizations are reaching out to their communities and collaborating with businesses and partners in innovative and creative ways, and we intend to publicize these activities through this special feature. We have selected a few to post, and we plan to continue and even expand this feature in the future.

Patrons visiting the artists’ booths during the 2011 MPAartfest

McLean Project for the Arts — MPAartfest, presented by McLean Project for the Arts, is McLean's only outdoor fine arts festival.  Held in the fall, McLean Central Park comes alive with more than 40 juried artists, live musical performances, a Senior Art Spotlight Tent featuring artwork by local senior citizens, Open Studio drawing activities for all ages, a children’s art exhibition, Innovation Station children's art tent and delicious food and drink. More than 3,000 local residents gathered this past fall to celebrate the 5th annual MPAartfest.   McLean Project for the Arts has partnered with the Fairfax County Park Authority, the McLean Community Center, the McLean Community Foundation, and numerous corporate partners including TTR Sotheby's International Real Estate, to make MPAartfest the great success it is connecting art and community.   

The Alliance Theatre — In October 2011 , The Alliance Theatre (TAT) presented to standing ovations the musical Little Shop of Horrors.  TAT has several ongoing and new business relationships that specifically help their productions.  The performance space is provided through a business arrangement with Mountain View School, a Fairfax County Public School high school.  TAT also works with the Kohl’s Cares program where employees of Kohl’s are able to volunteer at specific productions. For Little Shop of Horrors, TAT developed a commercial relationship with The Dance Shoppe in Centreville and Dr. Papp, a dentist based in Fairfax, VA.  Several local private sector firms provide matching funds to include ExxonMobile, Ally Bank and Northrop Grumman. Established in 2000 TAT, presents an artistic experience for the entire community. Much admired is TAT’s summer musical, which includes whole families from young children to grandparents. Throughout the year TAT presents a variety of events that continually strengthen the artistic tradition in the county. Recent productions include Hairspray, Capital Cabaret, Camelot and Annie Jr.

VCO president Joan Braitsch presents a plaque to Gala Honoree Eric Eifert, from ManTech International Corporation; Photo Credit: Louis Sica

Virginia Chamber Orchestra — A vice president at the ManTech International Corporation heard about the Virginia Chamber Orchestra (VCO) Special Audience Outreach, which couples complimentary concert tickets with complimentary post concert dinners for fifty underserved people per concert.  He suggested that we include Wounded Warriors and their families.  This attracted the interest of our Military Kids, who are now attending as well.  Several of the participating Wounded Warriors are suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome.  VCO volunteers made them feel so comfortable and welcome that they were the last ones to leave the dinner. When they returned to their base they told their supervisor: “We had a ball!” ManTech has provided a concert sponsorship for two successive seasons and also funded small ensembles from the orchestra that serenade patients at area military bases during their lunch hour.