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2022 SESSION

22107628D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 187
Offered March 10, 2022
Commending the McLean Project for the Arts.
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Patrons-- Murphy, Carr, Convirs-Fowler, Keam, Kory, McQuinn, Rasoul, Watts and Willett
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WHEREAS, since its founding in 1962, the McLean Project for the Arts has presented works by more than 2,500 emerging and established artists, offered thousands of studio art classes and workshops, and promoted art education through lectures, talks, and gallery tours, benefiting tens of thousands of residents annually and contributing to Virginia’s creative economy; and

WHEREAS, the McLean Project for the Arts showcases its visual arts program in the galleries and studio at the McLean Community Center through the first public-private partnership in the arts with Fairfax County; and

WHEREAS, the McLean Project for the Arts has invested $1 million in private capital to the public-private partnership to build out the spacious, purpose-built Susan B. DuVal Art Studio and three galleries, including the Emerson Gallery, a unique, light-filled exhibit space that appeals to artists and visitors alike; and

WHEREAS, the McLean Project for the Arts offers its signature outreach program, MPA ArtReach, free to students from Fairfax County Public Schools; MPA ArtReach’s exhibition-based curricula increases participants’ understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) principles based on Virginia’s Standards of Learning while building a sense of community through the shared art experience; and

WHEREAS, MPA ArtReach serves at-risk pupils, students in self-contained classes, and individuals in the community with intellectual and physical disabilities, helping them to gain an appreciation for art and fostering creativity; for some participants, the trip to the McLean Project for the Arts is their first visit to an art gallery or art museum; and

WHEREAS, MPA ArtReach conducts free art workshops for senior citizens at area senior centers as well as family art programs; in total, MPA ArtReach serves more than 3,000 residents each year at no cost to the participants, always responding to the times, and providing an especially cherished personal connection during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, each October, the McLean Project for the Arts hosts MPAartfest, a free one-day visual and performing arts festival attended by thousands of area residents since its founding in 2007; the community event features the work of scores of visual artists, along with children’s programs and a day-long music festival, including diverse performances by some of the region’s most celebrated musicians; and

WHEREAS, for 60 years, the McLean Project for the Arts has successfully fulfilled its mission to exhibit the work of artists from the Mid-Atlantic region, to promote awareness and understanding of contemporary art, and to offer instruction and education in the visual arts; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the McLean Project for the Arts hereby be commended on the occasion of its 60th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the McLean Project for the Arts as an expression of the General Assembly’s congratulations and admiration for the organization’s commitment to the visual arts and art education.