week of  2/27/02
 
 
 

WCU officials kick off plans for jazz fest
SMN
More than 100 travel and tourism industry representatives, chamber of commerce executives and arts council officials from across Western North Carolina gathered Thursday, Feb. 21, for a sneak preview of a new festival of fine and performing arts being launched this summer at Western Carolina University.

The two-day summer jazz and arts festival, set for Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15, has been tagged the CulloWHEE! ArtsFest, and it is envisioned as the first in a series of cultural events designed to boost the region’s tourism industry while providing a chance for Western’s academic programs in the arts to shine.

“One of our primary goals in creating this festival is to promote and assist our students and faculty who are in our performance areas, so that they get an opportunity to perform in front of appreciative, critical fans,” said Western Chancellor John Bardo. Two student ensembles — the Catamount Chamber Singers and the Music Technology Ensemble — performed at Thursday night’s event, giving attendees a sample of the type of music that will be centerstage in June.

“The other thing is, it is important for this region to develop additional destinations. We know that destinations, particularly art destinations, contribute mightily to the notion of quality of life,” Bardo said. “With the importance of the tourist industry in this region, we need to increase the length of stay of the average tourist who comes through Western North Carolina. The income that this region will derive from tourism will be highly affected by whether folks choose to spend an overnight.”

This year’s CulloWHEE! ArtsFest will begin on a Friday night, with nationally known jazz musicians Joe Sample and David Sanborn headlining. It will continue Saturday with Bio Ritmo as afternoon headliner and the Manhattan Transfer for the nightcap. Regional and local jazz musicians, including Western ensembles, will perform throughout the festival, and fine art and crafts will be on exhibit and for sale.

“Our intent is to encourage people to come, spend the night, use your facilities, go to the restaurants, stop in the shops, look around the region and begin to think about Western being part of a notion of destination,” Bardo told the motel owners, restaurateurs and shopkeepers.

Thursday’s gathering, a regional “business after hours” reception, was sponsored by WestCare Health System, one of several area businesses providing support for the festival.

“We’re excited about this partnership,” said Sheila Price, chief nursing executive. “We have some friends at the hospital who spent this past weekend in Charleston, S.C., for their jazz festival. They had planned for that a year in advance. I look forward to the day when they don’t do that anymore. Instead, they come here from across the nation for our festival.”