Overlooking the rolling hills of Purcellville sits Franklin Park Arts Center, recognizable by its bright green roof and tall silo that sits against it. Home to hundreds of shows each year, the Arts Center has been described by its patrons as a gem of Western Loudoun County.
When Loudoun County bought the land that would become Franklin Park, community members advocated for the old barn on the property to become a visual and performing arts center. Before work could begin, an arsonist burned the barn down, leaving only the silo standing. Reconstruction efforts by the town and the Timber Framers Guild of North America created Franklin Park Arts Center as it is today, still dedicated to the community that revived it.
Elizabeth Bracey, the manager of the Arts Center, shared, “The thing I think makes it different is that it really was a project that started with the community spirit, the community effort, the community idea…We put the community first, in terms of use of space and how we program the facility.”
The Arts Center has something for everyone. Last year, along with monthly art exhibitions, they had almost 200 performances, including comedy, theater, music, and puppet shows. They also have camps, workshops, and classes for those interested in deepening their relationship with the arts.
Bracey emphasizes that keeping the Arts Center running is truly a team effort. “It’s a little bit of a puzzle, getting everything put together,” she explained. “But when you have a really great team of staff and volunteers, it really makes it much easier to figure out what we can support and [for us to] be able to give people the service and support they need when they come.”
The Arts Center’s team of volunteers is a diverse group, with both high schoolers and retirees working together to support the staff at events. Some of the Arts Center’s volunteers are Woodgrove High School students. Jennie-Kate Hannis, a volunteer and a Woodgrove sophomore, commented, “My favorite thing about Franklin Park Arts Center is the friendliness of the staff and other volunteers. I really appreciate the generosity and helpfulness that has lasted throughout my time there.”
The Arts Center also serves as the homebase for Arts For All Loudoun, a non-profit organization that offers opportunities in the arts to individuals with and without disabilities. Kellie Goossens, who serves as the programming specialist for both Franklin Park Arts Center and Arts For All, expressed, “The highlight of my year is when our performing participants that are in Arts For All come and perform the show that they’ve been working on for such a long time. This year it’s going to be The Wizard of Oz, and as of right now we’re going to have over 60 participants in the show.”
As it was for other entertainment venues, COVID-19 was an obstacle for the Arts Center. The staff wanted to support artists while still keeping everyone safe. Bracey said, “The conversations that I was having with artists and performers…I realized that their worlds had just collapsed. There were no galleries open, no opportunities to perform, and it was really quite emotional for artists and creatives.”
In an effort to keep the community connected to the arts, the Arts Center started a program called Start Lunch with the Arts. Every day for 75 days straight, they live streamed an artist doing a demonstration related to their craft to their audience on Facebook. “We got so many compliments and so much feedback from people who were feeling stressed, lonely, shut down, and sad. These little programs that we offered every day really helped them, and that goes to show that art in all forms is, number one, a universal language, and number two, therapeutic,” observed Bracey.
While the pandemic was undeniably difficult for artists, it also acted as a catalyst for the growth of the Arts Center’s art gallery. Creatives being stuck at home gave them the opportunity to focus on their art and simply create. “Our art shows just started exploding every month with tons of art on the walls. We believe it was a direct result of COVID– our visual art community grew in leaps and bounds,” said Goossens. “People started making connections with each other and they started doing workshops and painting together and starting classes together and it was really such a wonderful thing to see.”
Not exclusive to artists, the Arts Center’s intimate performance and exhibition space also offers a unique experience for all visitors. “You can listen to music anywhere, but when you come to the Arts Center maybe you learn something about jazz or classical music that you didn’t know,” Bracey explained. “Maybe you’re able to talk to the performers afterwards or talk to other people and make some new connections. It’s more than just going to a concert or having music in the background while you do something else. It’s very much meant to be an engaging place.”
Franklin Park Arts Center has many exciting events planned to celebrate its 16th season of bringing the arts to Western Loudoun. With numerous upcoming holiday performances, this is the perfect time to visit.
