For decades, the Church-McKee Arts Center on the campus of WVU Potomac State College, has been the cultural heart of the community. Built in the 1960s, it has hosted a wide range of significant events, from commencement ceremonies to musical performances, and theater productions to arts showcases. It has long served as a place where students and community members come together to experience, create, and engage.
Brian Plitnik, who serves as assistant professor of music at the College and producer for the annual musical production, reflected on what makes an artistic experience.
“One definition of an artistic experience I have always admired describes art as something that takes us out of our ordinary life,” Plitnik said. “It is a journey for the mind, a place where we are more emotionally vulnerable, or someplace that resonates within our imagination but is outside of our everyday lived experiences. As we experience the performing arts, unique neurological and emotional stimuli result. The musical expression of profound beauty, the raw emotional power of a tragic tale, the absorption of a cultural experience different than our own — all serve to make us more compassionate, more aware, and ultimately more human."
The Church-McKee Arts Center serves as a growth space for students who are learning to develop their craft in music, theater, and other interests. Whether working on or performing in play productions, concerts, or collaborative projects, students can showcase their talents while also building confidence. Having access to high-quality performance spaces and mentorship opportunities helps students gain real-world experience.
Additionally, the Arts Center serves as a gathering place where creativity fosters cultural performances by engaging viewers and strengthening the local arts scene. Yet, the Arts Center is more than just a vibrant space where students and community members come together; it also plays a vital role in shaping both the individual and collective experience of our community, as well as supporting local artists and contributing to the region’s cultural and economic growth.
“Providing unique artistic and cultural experiences for the campus community, and the community at large, also helps to fulfill the PSC mission to ‘enhance the well-being and quality of life for the campus community, people in West Virginia, and the broader service region of the College,’” Plitnik added.
Furthermore, families have gathered at the Arts Center for generations to celebrate the achievements of their children, grandchildren, parents, and siblings during Commencement ceremonies and Recognition Day celebrations each spring.
However, after years of service to the College and the community, the Church-McKee Arts Center needs crucial upgrades to its technology, stage, projector screens, lighting and sound systems to continue delivering high-quality experiences. To fund these much-needed renovations, campus and community supporters are invited to participate in a special opportunity.
A meaningful way to honor a loved one or to commemorate a special memory while directly supporting the arts is to have a personalized plaque placed on a seat in the theater for a small donation of $250.
A tax-deductible gift ensures the Church-McKee Arts Center remains a premier venue for learning, performance, and community connection by preserving its legacy and building a future for generations to come. All gifts are made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University and its affiliated entities.
For more information regarding how to sponsor a seat at the Church-McKee Arts Center at WVU Potomac State College, please reach out to Dr. Megan Webb, director of development at Potomac State College, at psc-officeofdevelopment@mail.wvu.edu.