Smith Mountain Arts Council

The Smith Mountain Arts Council (SMAC) serves as a coordinating body and provides opportunities for cultural enrichment and pleasure in the visual, performing and literary arts. The Smith Mountain Arts Council secures resources, solicits community support, and encourages participation in arts related events and activities. Many SMAC activities are open to the public and free.

President's Message

July 1, 2010

Whew! Summer has just started, and there has already been a whirlwind of activity with SMAC. The Photo Show was another huge success, with over 350 entries. The quality of the work in the show was outstanding. This was followed the next weekend by the Lakeside Singers presentation of Kidz @ Heart. The Juried Art Show concluded its 30 day exhibition at the Westlake Library, the SML Ballroom Dancers learned to Foxtrot, and the Songwriters Association of Southwest Virginia showcased their members’ work with a concert at the Third Street Coffeehouse in Roanoke. Several events are on tap for the balance of the summer, including the Lake Players Musical Tribute to Broadway in August, the SML Ballroom Dance in July, the Pastel X 5 exhibit at the Westlake Library in July, and the Sunday Music Recital with Julie Havens and Mike Havens on August 15.

Many of you may heard of the proposal to build a Center at the Lake at the Smith Farm, which is near the 4 H center. This effort is being led by a group called The Moneta Arts, Education Community Center, and it is their vision to build a center for the Arts. Although the group is not affiliated with SMAC (many people mistakenly believe that it is) it was originally formed in 2002 from members of SMAC. I serve on their board as the Liason from SMAC. Several of our Board Members have been asked about the project, some by people who thought that SMAC was leading the effort. I have invited representatives from MEACC to discuss their project at our meeting on July 16.

Finally I would like to ask for your help. In order for SMAC to continue doing all that we are to support the Arts, we rely on membership dues as our primary source of funds. If you have any friends who are not members, ask them. It is that simple. I have prepared a list of the Top 10 Reasons to Ask a Friend to Join SMAC (apologies to Letterman):

  1. Your friend can buy you dinner with the money that will save on member discounts to SMAC events.
  2. You don’t have to constantly tell them what all of the SMAC events are. They will get their own newsletter.
  3. You can discuss the Photo Show entries with someone else besides your spouse.
  4. More members means more food to eat at the Lake Players performance.
  5. Recent research shows that members who recruit others have a 22% increase in health and happiness versus those members that don’t recruit.
  6. Recruiting the right friend provides you with a designated driver.
  7. More members means more programs, events and scholarships.
  8. SMAC membership can surpass the number of cast members in a Lakeside Singers production.
  9. Your friends can enjoy the same feeling of giving to the Arts that you have.
  10. And the number one reason to recruit friends to SMAC….(drumroll)…
    The SMAC Board President can stop writing inane TOP 10 Lists.

Mike Dittrich, SMAC President

Calendar of Events

  • Artist Palette Image Pastel Palettes X Five
    Five area award winning pastel artists will show in the Westlake Library Gallery.
    When: June 30 - July 30, 2010
    Where: Westlake Library
  • Dancers Image July Dance (and Mambo Lesson)
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - SML Ballroom Dancers
    When: July 30, 2010, 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm
    Where: Carole Riggs Studio on Bateman Bridge Road in Forest VA
    Contact: cindyzerfoss@gmail.com, 434-426-9787
  • Artist Palette Image Bald Knob Artists at Goose Creek Studio/Gallery
    Bald Knob member pieces will be featured at Goose Creek Studio/Gallery. The reception on Friday, 8/13, from 5 to 8 pm is open to the public and is timed to coincide with Bedford's "2nd Friday" events, many of which are Arts related.
    When: Aug 3 to Sep 4, 2010
         Reception - Aug 3, 5 - 8 pm
         Exhibition - Aug 3 - Sep 4, Tue - Fri 10 am - 5 pm, Sat 10 am - 2 pm
    Where: Goose Creek Studio/Gallery, 330 West Washington Street, Bedford, VA
    Cost: Free
    Contact: Goose Creek Studio at 540-586-8482. Talk to Patrick Ellis or Mitchell Bond.
  • Image: Masks Lake Players - "A Broadway Musical Revue"
    When: Aug 13, 2010 - 5:30 pm
    Where: Bernard's Landing Conference Center
    Contact: Connie Canova at 540-297-6680 or confred@b2xonline.com
  • Image: Music Note Music at the Lake
    - Julee Hickcox, Roanoke Symphony Orchestra flutist,
       and Mike Havens, guitarist.
    When: Aug 15, 2010 - 3:00 pm
    Where: Hockersmith Residence
    Cost: $12 for SMAC members and $15 for non-members (limited seating)
    Contact: For more information call 297-0965 or 721-2904.
  • Image: Music Note Takayama and Wiley in Concert
    - An evening of music with violin virtuoso Akemi Takayama and
       Maestro David Stewart Wiley.
    When: Thursday Sep 2, 2010 - 7:00 pm
    Where: Trinity Ecumenical Parish, Moneta, VA
    Cost: $20 (on sale starting July 17, 2010)
    Contact: For further information, please call 721-2904 or 297-0965.
  • Image: Music Note For the Love of Broadway
    - Vocalists Philip and Tara Bouknight
        with Maestro David Stewart Wiley at the Steinway piano
    When: Sunday Sep 5, 2010 - 3:00 pm
    Where: Trinity Ecumenical Parish, Moneta, VA
    Cost: $20 (on sale starting July 17, 2010)
    Contact: For further information, please call 721-2904 or 297-0965.
  • Image: Masks Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - The Little Town Players
    When: Sep 10-12, 2010 and Sep 17-19, 2010
    www.littletownplayers.com
  • Image: Music Note In Concert: Ronny Cox
    When: Sep 17, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
    Where: Trinity Ecumenical Parish
    Cost: $15 per ticket
    Contact: Call Marty Bowers 297-0965 or Carolyn Fink 721-2904
  • Artist Palette Image Two Workshops (Watercolor, Oil/Acrylic)
    Sponsored by SMAC Affiliate - Bald Knob Artists
    When: October 17-19, 2010, 9:15am - 4:30 pm
       Register by Sep 1, 2010
    Cost: $175 per workshop (3 days)
    Contact: Phil Sheridan at 721-4106 or Penny Simmons at 890-8500
  • Artist Palette Image 2010 Art Show
    October 22-24, 2010 - (Reception on Oct 22)
    Stay tuned for more details...
  • Image: Masks Love, Sex and the IRS
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - The Little Town Players
    When: Nov 5-7, 2010 Nov 12-14, 2010
    www.littletownplayers.com

Past Events

  • Artist Palette Image Juried Art Show
    When: June 4 - June 29, 2010
    Where: Westlake Library, 84 Westlake Road, Hardy, VA
  • Camera Image Photo Contest Winners Exhibit
    When: June 1 - June 30, 2010
    Where: Artfully Framed, 13699 Booker T Washington Hwy, Moneta, VA
  • Dancers Image The Samba
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - SML Ballroom Dancers
    When: June 18, 2010
  • Image: Music Note Concert - Songwriters in the Round
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - Southwest Virginia Songwriters Association
    When: June 11, 2010
  • Image: Music Note Lakeside Singers Concert - Kidz @ Heart
    When: June 4, 2010, 7:30 pm -- June 5, 2010, 2 pm
  • Artist Palette Image Provence Show
    When: May 4 - June 1, 2010
  • Camera Image 2010 Phototography Contest and Show
    Reception and Exhibition: May 28-31, 2010
  • Dancers Image The Foxtrot
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - SML Ballroom Dancers
    When: May 21, 2010
  • Artist Palette Image Bald Knob Art Workshop - Oil and Acrylic
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - Bald Knob Artists
    When: May 17-18, 2010
  • Image: Masks Little Town Players: "Don't Dress for Dinner"
    Presented by SMAC Affiliate - The Little Town Players
    When: May 14-16 & 21-23, 2010
  • Artist Palette Image Bald Knob Art Workshop
    When: April 26 & 27, 2010
  • Image: Music Note In Concert: Elisabeth Von Trapp
    When: Apr. 23, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
  • Artist Palette Image Dual Art Exhibit
    When: April 2 - 30, 2010

More Past Events

The Smith Mountain Arts Council (SMAC), established in 1989, is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization and serves a large geographic area surrounding Smith Mountain Lake.

SMAC is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.