Wise, VA – The Pro-Art Association concluded its 49th season with record-breaking attendance for the fifth consecutive year, continuing a period of remarkable growth and community engagement for the nonprofit arts organization serving Southwest Virginia. During the 2025–2026 season, Pro-Art served more than 14,700 patrons across Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton, including more than 9,700 students through school performances, lectures, and workshops.
The season’s programming reflected Pro-Art’s commitment to bringing world-class arts experiences to its rural community while expanding access to diverse artistic traditions and multidisciplinary performances. Highlights included The Missing Element featuring The Beatbox House, an innovative fusion of street dance and beatboxing; internationally-acclaimed artist Kuniko Yamamoto’s immersive Koto Green Tea Ceremony; New Orleans jazz favorites Tuba Skinny; the passionate flamenco artistry of Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca; the joyful theatrical spectacle of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus; and the groundbreaking Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technologies, whose “Hidden Sounds of the Americas” blended ancestral instruments with contemporary technology in an immersive audiovisual performance. Many of these presentations were made possible through Pro-Art’s ongoing partnership with Mid Atlantic Arts.
In addition to performances, Pro-Art continued to expand educational programming and community engagement opportunities throughout their service region, connecting thousands of students and residents with artists from across the United States and around the world.
“I feel incredibly proud of what our team has accomplished and deeply grateful for the way this community continues to embrace and support the arts,” said Pro-Art Executive Director Michael McNulty. “What we’re doing here is something that, on paper, probably shouldn’t work in a rural community our size, but this region has continued to show up for the arts in an extraordinary way. That support has allowed us to grow year after year, and it’s a testament to how much people here value meaningful artistic experiences.”
As Pro-Art prepares for its milestone 50th season, the organization expressed gratitude to the audiences, donors, schools, community partners, volunteers, and sponsors who continue to invest in the arts across the region. “None of this growth happens without community support,” McNulty added. “This season is proof that people in Southwest Virginia recognize the value of the arts—not only as entertainment, but as something that strengthens communities, expands perspectives, and creates opportunities for connection. We’re thankful to everyone who continues to believe in this work.”
Pro-Art is asking for feedback on the 2025-26 season and calling for suggestions for those to come. Please take the end of season survey at proartva.org (approximately 3 minutes of your time), or call (276) 376-4520 or email contact@proartva.org with your thoughts and suggestions.
You can also join Pro-Art’s mailing list to receive email reminders about upcoming events. Sign up at proartva.org and follow the nonprofit on social media at @proartva.
Pro-Art is supported in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly, as well as the C. Bascom Slemp Foundation, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Mountain Empire Community College, Smith Vicars Family Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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