In this special 20th anniversary episode, the Bower Center for the Arts in Bedford, Virginia, highlights its rich history, mission, and vibrant programming. Executive Director Ryan Steffen, joined by Susan Martin and Lauren Hood, discusses the center’s community impact, diverse classes, and signature events like CAB Kids, Opera on the James, and annual festivals. The team shares personal stories, celebrates local partnerships, and announces exciting upcoming performances and exhibits. Listeners are invited to participate as volunteers, donors, or attendees, reinforcing the center’s motto: “Where Art Meets Community.”
Transcript:
Absolutely! Here is the revised transcript with only Ryan, Lauren, and Susan speaking, all instances of "Bauer" changed to "Bower," and all last names removed:
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Ryan 00:01:10
Good morning and hello everyone. Happy 2026 and welcome back to Behind the Bower. I'm Ryan, executive director of the Bower Center for the Arts here in beautiful Bedford, Virginia.
Ryan 00:01:20
Each episode we dive into the creative heartbeat of our community, celebrating artists, visionaries, organizations, and unique opportunities that make Bedford such an inspiring place to call home. And in case you didn't know, Bower Center for the Arts hits a huge milestone this year. It is our 20th birthday, so for the last two decades, Bower Center has been the hub for creativity, community and working continuously to meld the two into one. So today, I've gathered most of the gang to talk about where we've been and where we are heading. So our first guest is someone many of you probably know very well, Susan. She's the former executive director before that a board member. It is now currently our director of Development and marketing. Hello, Susan.
Susan 00:02:06
Good morning.
Ryan 00:02:06
We also have with us Lauren, our programs manager for the last several years who spearheads our education, outreach and live performance programming. Well, welcome everyone. Let's talk a little bit about what's going on. So I'd like to start maybe with some introductions and some background.
Ryan 00:02:23
So a lot of our listeners have probably heard us talking and leading some podcasts, but might not know a whole lot about who we are and how we landed here. Exactly. So I'd like to take just a couple of minutes, if we could, to introduce ourselves and let our listeners know a little bit, a little bit about who we are. Susan, do you care starting for us?
Susan 00:02:44
Sure. I'd love to.
Ryan 00:02:46
Great. Go ahead. Just tell us a little about yourself. Yeah.
Susan 00:02:50
So, yeah, just to give you a little background, I've been involved in some way, shape or form with the Center for the Arts pretty much since its existence. I was the executive director at the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce for many years, and during that time, we played a role in helping to promote the Bower Center for the Arts with their ribbon cutting and celebrations, things like that. So I had an involvement from a very, early on, and even earlier than that, when it was still home, the building to the Bedford Christian Church, my kids actually went preschool there.
Susan 00:03:31
So I've had a long history with the building itself. And my kids also, we were going through all of our, items at home and cleaning out, obviously, when I was making a move and we came across my daughter's first work of art that was hung in one of the first elementary art shows at our Center for the Arts. It still had the little frame on it. It still had the little card that, you know, said what grade she was in and her teacher and everything. So it was kind of neat to come across that item. And for, you know, something that I forgot that I was actually a parent that was coming to our Center for the Arts very early on to celebrate kids in the area. But but anyway, I also joined the board of directors while I was still working at the Chamber of Commerce, and I think I served on the board three, maybe four years prior to becoming the executive director. It was an opportunity that presented itself while I was serving on the board.
Susan 00:04:31
I've always been involved. You know, my 30 plus year career has been in nonprofit management, and it just was the perfect opportunity for me to remove myself from the board and apply for the job. And fortunately, in 2019, I got that position and served as the executive director for six years and then have now moved into the Director of Development and Marketing. I'm in my first year, so I will be celebrating seven years as a staff member with the Bower Centre in July this year. Wow. And I have enjoyed every moment of it. I'm, you know, it's it's just been wonderful.
Ryan 00:05:12
Great. Thank you. Lauren, you're a little bit newer. You've not been around for maybe quite as long as Susan. But tell us a little bit about yourself and and how you landed here at the Bower Center.
Lauren 00:05:20
Yeah. So, I had moved, so I went to Liberty University. So that's how I was first introduced to, I guess, this area, Lynchburg, Bedford forest area. Did my time at Liberty went.
Lauren 00:05:34
Moved back home after college and then my boyfriend, now husband at the time. We've been together for five years at that point and were wanting to take the next step, get married, get engaged. So I moved back into Lynchburg, started working as a bank teller. And during that time, I was looking for more of a, like a career other than just a job that kind of was helping with rent type of thing. And in that I found, I found the Bower Center, the program coordinator position at the time for Bower Center, and I applied, and luckily, I was able to chat with Susan and, some of the board members. And, yeah, I was like, you know, to to grab that position. I've been with Bower for almost three years. It'll be three years in May. And it's been it's been a crazy fun ride. Congratulations.
Ryan 00:06:23
Thank you. And you didn't mention it, but I know that it's there. What's your arts background?
Lauren 00:06:27
Yeah. So I grew up in the performing arts.
Lauren 00:06:30
I was I was a theater kid, I did theater, I was in choir. I was a competitive dancer for ten years. So I was very, very involved in the performing arts, up through until about college. So.
Ryan 00:06:46
Yeah. Great.
Lauren 00:06:47
Thank you.
Ryan 00:06:48
All right. It feels a little weird to talk about myself. but I, you know, I'm the last one in the row, so I guess I need to say that. So, you know, I moved to the Bedford area from Cincinnati just about four and a half years ago. my husband came home to help take care of his mother, who has since unfortunately passed this past November. but she was 96, and he just felt like it was the right time to come home. and I was a high school teacher. I had been teaching English and theater for 21 years. I was ready for a change. I loved teaching, but I also knew that I was doing it because I was good at it and not because I loved it.
Ryan 00:07:27
And I just felt like for me personally, I needed to to make a shift. So, we kind of almost on impulse, packed up and moved. so I resigned my job in April, and we were here in June. so, you know, it's. Yeah, it's it's a little scary, to pack up everything and move into a town where you literally know nobody. and, and not have a job. Yeah. That was the other fear is we both moved here with no jobs, no plan. We're like, well, I guess we'll figure it out. I will say I was very lucky. I landed as a bartender in Bedford. I was the bartender at Beal's Brewery. that sounds really silly. being a bartender is not that different than teaching sometimes. what I did find, though, is it was the best way for me to meet so many people in this town. because, you know, sometimes you move in and you have a really hard time building a community and finding your people.
Ryan 00:08:26
so I'm very thankful that that was the path that I ended up taking. I'm not going to say that craft beer was ever my passion. or bartending, but it was great to meet people. and this is where I'm going to throw Tony at his name out here, because Tony was a guest at the bar. and found out that I had an arts background. and so I had kind of, you know, slowly passed some information on to me. I was also looking for some people, so I took a class. I took a wheel throwing class. I'm terrible at wheel throwing, but I did it with my niece, and that was the first time I had walked in the doors of the Bower Center. and what I realized is there were there were the people I was looking for, like, the people at the bar were great. The people at the Bower Center were the people I was looking for. if any of you know Toni, she's super persuasive. And so she pressured me to try and join the board.
Ryan 00:09:23
and so I met with Susan, and I met with other board members, and I joined the board about three years ago. I was on the board for just under two years, and, actually resigned in a similar path to Susan. the, communications coordinator position opened up. and again, I was looking for something that felt meaningful. in the Bower felt meaningful to me, so I. I applied for that job. I was doing the communications coordinator position, which is mostly website work. Greeting people at the door. Talking about rentals. And then magic happened. And suddenly here I am. so, I love being here. I love that, we have such a super strong team. unfortunately, one person on our team couldn't be here today. We'll have a whole different episode with him. His name is Alpha. He is our new exhibits coordinator. Great guy. and you'll get to meet him a little bit later on. He just couldn't be here today. but I think that the four of us, along with our board and our volunteers, do a really great job of of keeping this art center alive and thriving.
Ryan 00:10:30
so before we jump into everything we've got going on this year, like I said, it is our birthday. and I would like to talk just a little bit about or have Susan talk because I've talked too long now. talk a little bit about the Bower Center, how it started, where we came from and how we got where we are today. Susan, can you can you briefly attach or attack that question?
Susan 00:10:53
Sure. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail, and I'm probably not the best expert, but just from my time at the Bower Center, obviously, I think everybody knows we came into existence in 2006. after many conversations with lots of what I consider founding fathers. meeting and speaking with Doctor John before he passed and having the wonderful Fred do list.
Susan 00:12:21
Who's a part of the Wharton Memorial Foundation and the Wharton Garden? you know, I've. I've gleaned lots of wonderful information. And, you know, from my understanding, early on, it was just a conversation. you know, our building had been a church for many years. built in the late 1800s. and it was originally Saint John's Episcopal Church.
Susan 00:12:43
Lastly, it was the Bedford Christian Church, and as those churches expanded and grew and built new properties and moved on, the building became available. And Fred says that, you know, kind of Doctor John. And he had some conversations and, about, you know, how with it being right next door to the Wharton Garden and the historic properties, what could they do to maintain that structure, you know, and not let it become dilapidated or, you know, you know, be an eyesore to the community and how it could improve economic development. And Doctor John generously came to Fred and donated the money to purchase the building. and his the ideas that spun around were some kind of art center. and Doctor John was interested in doing something to leave a legacy and a memory for his mother and father, who were very involved in the Bedford community. Lifelong residents. His dad was mayor. His mom was very involved in lots of organizations and my understanding very into the garden club and things like that. And, and that's kind of where it started.
Susan 00:13:55
So, the building was purchased and started out, as just, I think early on it was in the beginning, it was kind of an art center to help support the arts in the community and artists in the community. and I think that they struggled a little bit financially, because it, it was the Bedford Academy for the Arts when it first, first started. and then it was renamed the Center for the Arts shortly thereafter. it was under the, what I say, the War Memorial Foundation umbrella, for the first ten years. So it was managed by that board of directors and the funds and everything worked on all through that non-profit organizations. and in 2016, they made the decision to let Bower Center for the Arts. For better Word go out on its own, so they formed their own board of directors for the Bower Center for the Arts, received their non-profit status, and the Waterman Memorial Foundation generously donated the building to the Bower Center for the Arts at that time so that it becomes its own organization.
Susan 00:15:08
And then the rest is kind of history through a lot of upgrades. In 2016, obviously there was a major upgrade to the building. And again, thanks to a very generous donation from Doctor John, they were able to do the addition to the front of the building, which helped with taking it away from less looking like a church to looking like an arts and cultural center. and over the years, the programming has developed and grown immensely. for the first ten plus years, Sara was the executive director and she did an amazing job just bringing the arts to the community and really launching Bower Center for the Arts and making it is, you know, what it is today. and like I said then, I was very, excited to get involved. not long after that time period. and, you know, it's I just hope that the community, is aware of one how hard it is to manage a non-profit organization. keep it running and keep it open. But also how extremely, extremely fortunate they are to have an arts and cultural center in their community.
Susan 00:16:21
Areas our size, like Bedford, there isn't one in every town. people may think that, but it's not. And when guests and tourists come into our area, they are just amazed that, you know, an area our size has such a wonderful arts and cultural center to offer to our community, and I hope you know folks realize how important that is.
Ryan 00:16:43
Yeah, yeah, I will echo. I did not know when I got into this job how hard it was going to be to run a nonprofit. you warned me, but I was not. Not totally aware of that. and another thing I'd love to echo, first of all, is how grateful we are to the Wharton Foundation and our community for really kind of setting us up to be able to do this and to to be a thriving arts center. and then, you know, I have a fun little story this past, you know, about a week and a half ago. the World Weavers had their fairy ball, and they brought in, influencers in the Dungeons and Dragons world.
Ryan 00:17:18
I didn't know that this was the whole thing until they were all there. and what I. And they brought guests from all over the state, sometimes from all over the country. There were people that flew in from Maryland and Texas. and one of the things I kept hearing over and over is their, their amazement that this small little town, first of all, was as beautiful was it was as it is and then has such a cool and well-developed art center for this small town that it is. I you know, sometimes we take it for granted when we live here, what we have. But to hear all of them talk about how amazing they thought it was, and they wished that their small towns could have art centers like ours. So I love that.
Susan 00:17:58
Absolutely.
Ryan 00:17:59
Yeah. so 20 years we've, we've, we've adopted the motto this year it's going to be where art meets community. And honestly, that's what we've been doing all along. It's not a new idea, but it is important for me to find ways to deepen and to strengthen that connection between our community and arts.
Ryan 00:18:16
So your your this year you're going to notice a few things, a few changes, both physically to the building a little bit. as well as, you know, even things like we've shifted our hours to try to be more accessible to our community. but I think one of the things I'm most excited about and maybe proud to do, because it was the first big thing that I feel like I was able to do, was I challenged Lauren to ramp up our programming. and after she got through the shock of, like, how much do you want to do? What do we want to do? we have put together, I believe, a really great year of programming for arts for everybody in our community, across generations, across ability levels, across backgrounds. so Lauren has been hustling to do that, to get those programming areas all fleshed out for the year. So outreach concerts and performances, educational opportunities like our classes and camps. So you wear a lot of hats. Lauren. so let's let like like I said here, let's, let's let's try those on one at a time.
Ryan 00:19:19
So I want to start with outreach because I think for me personally, that's the most important thing that we do. Yeah. You know, I was a kid that did the arts found me and that found purpose for me. and it was through outreaches, through my own school and my own arts community in my hometown in Indiana. That really drove that for me. so we have two really great outreach programs. both. I'm going to credit to the brainchild of Susan. one is Cab Kids Creative at the Bower Kids, and the other one is our Heart Works program. Can you tell us a little bit about each one of those and what we're doing with those?
Lauren 00:19:58
Yeah, absolutely. So I'll start with our, our heart works. And that one for me is like, it is such a highlight. Like it is every time I get to see our groups come in. So we bring in, it's a couple of different things. It's really an umbrella of things. But, one of the things that we do is we collaborate with Harmony day support, and we have groups that come in.
Lauren 00:20:21
And currently they are coming in once a month for two sessions. We split them up into groups. And what it used to be is we used to have them twice a month. but actually our groups have gotten so large, which is so exciting, that we've had to split them up into two groups twice a month. So that's that's really exciting. and we do a adapted, art project with them that they get to take home typically that day. so whether that's adapted painting or drawing or mosaics, we try to touch on a ton of different stuff, each time. And it's a project because they love to bring their projects home, or they'll make them like, I'm going to make this for my girlfriend, or I'm going to make this for my mom, like. And so we make sure that they get to bring those home to their loved ones. so that one's really that one's just like a special place in my heart. For heart works. Another umbrella that we kind of keep in with our outreach of heart works.
Lauren 00:21:14
Is we do a lot of, like, homeschool programs. We do. just bringing arts out into the community, like expanding it beyond our community, our into our community, not beyond our community. But, so those are some fun things that we do, for our kids. We have six cap kits. those are some really fun things that we've got some some awesome things that we've got lined up, some things that we've had in the past that are fan favorites, like our opera on the James. We have those twice, one in the spring and one in the fall.
Ryan 00:21:48
And then I do want to remind everybody, Cap kids, by its mission, is working really hard to bring arts to families. at a free or reduced price. And this year we were able to keep everything on the free level. it was funny. I noticed that, there's somebody that signed up and registered for every single campaign since yesterday. so I went through, I was like, wow, they registered for everything for the entire year.
Ryan 00:22:12
So I just want to make sure everybody knew exactly kind of what Cab Kids was and what we were doing behind that. I didn't mean to interrupt.
Lauren 00:22:18
No no, no. That's. Yeah, that's that's the biggest part is that we do want to make it accessible to everybody. and just and a fun time for your family to get out. And you know what it is? You know, it's on a Saturday from 12 to 2 every single time. so it's just it's just a good thing for families. Our very first cap kids is a Joffre and he is a juggling and circus workshop. So he'll do a phenomenal, juggling circus performance for students. And then those students will get to participate in their own circus workshops. So that is something that we are really, really excited for because not only do they get like this fun, entertaining, performance by Joffrey, but we also get, they get to be involved. And so like, that's that's a super exciting one that we've actually I don't as long as I've been here, we've not had it.
Lauren 00:23:05
So, that's that's a new fun, fun thing. next one's going to be up on the James.
Susan 00:23:11
If I can quickly.
Lauren 00:23:13
Yeah, yeah.
Susan 00:23:13
Interject with that one just because I want to give credit where credit is due. Yes. Geoffrey is a touring artist with the Virginia Commission for the Arts. and we have a touring artist grant to support bringing him into the area. so I think he's going to be a I think he's going to be wonderful. And I think it's a great opportunity for for kids and families to kind of dive into the performing arts, but in a fun manner. So we're very appreciative to the VCA for supporting that.
Lauren 00:23:42
Yeah, absolutely. our next one we've got, like I said, we've got, opera on the James, they're coming in February and then, leave coming over in the fall as well.
Ryan 00:23:55
October I.
Lauren 00:23:55
Think. October, yes. so they'll be doing The Magic Flute as well as, Cinderella. And so if you've not been to an opera on the James performance, it opera on the James takes classical opera and they turn it into an entertainment for kids in this play, and they're phenomenal.
Lauren 00:24:15
And it introduces the students to opera and the performing arts. and then how we do it is they perform. They didn't have they then have a Q&A with the artists. and then we do a fun activity, art activity afterwards that, is represented by the the story they just saw. So that one's a really exciting one. if you've not been to one of our opera and the James's performances, following that one, we have our hello, Summer creative kickoff. That's just our classic summer kickoff. Lots of stations with fun art activities to really just help your family kick off the summer. Get outside. so that one's a really exciting one. And then we've got Tyrone. so he is a puppeteer. and that one is a super cool one that we're also very. We're just excited about all of them. I'm going to say we're excited about everything.
Ryan 00:25:08
Lucky to have, the Virginia Commission of the Arts for that as well. We pulled him off of that roster as well. I was I was super excited when we saw it.
Lauren 00:25:16
Yes. He's so fun. so students will see a a puppetry performance, and then they will get to make their own puppets after. That's super cool. Yep. Our opera on the James for Cinderella for October 10th. And then we finish up the season with our Jingle Bell Jamboree. We had this hosted after the Bedford Christmas Parade this past December, and a lot of y'all showed up and showed out. We were so, so thrilled to have you guys. we will continue that again. So all of ours are Saturdays from 12 to 2, but this special one is following the parade, so it's a 1 to 3 kind of situation. so definitely make sure you don't miss out on that one.
Ryan 00:25:58
Perfect. Thank you. Lauren. Yeah. I don't think we need to go through our entire concert and performance. That's a lot, because every time I look at it, I was like, wow, we were ambitious. Yeah. So we have 14 concerts and performances lined up for this year. so rather than go through the entire schedule, which I can say, all of those are listed on our website right now at our center.
Ryan 00:26:19
Org and you can certainly look at all of those. Let's just highlight the one concert that we think or performance that we're maybe the most excited to see on our schedule.
Lauren 00:26:30
Oh.
Ryan 00:26:31
So I'll let you think and I'll go first. Go ahead. So I'm going to go first because this one performance that I have, I just kind of said, I just want you to reach out to him. so, there's a local guy named Noah. I saw him when he was a teenager in high school playing at Drifters. and then somehow, magically, while I was watching The Voice, I saw his audition. he ended up being in the top ten. He was in team Reba was stolen as well. he's a fantastic performer. He's young. He's down to earth. He's from central Virginia. so this is kind of his roots in his home. And it was the one where I was like, hey, Lauren, just just reach out and see what he says. he might say, no. He might be more expensive than we can possibly afford.
Ryan 00:27:20
But he's going to be here in April, and I'm super excited because I it was a leap. I just took a leap on that one.
Lauren 00:27:26
Yeah, that one's definitely an exciting one. since you remember the concert, I'm gonna go with the performance. We had Adam, the comedy show. I'm a big comedy girl. My husband's got me into comedy, and I. We love to go to stand up shows. Adam is actually has specials on dry bar comedy, which, if you're not familiar with that is a that's like that's like a big deal and it's clean comedy as well for my clean comedy. Clean comedy fans. so we are really excited to have him. He's out. He's based out of Nashville. he's he's just he's a dad, who is just so funny has not just the dad jokes, but he also has just really relatable, funny stories. so definitely come out to that one. That was in March. so yeah, I'm.
Ryan 00:28:11
One of those performances I feel super lucky to have.
Lauren 00:28:14
Got. Yes, yes.
Ryan 00:28:15
Yeah. Susan, how about you? Yeah.
Susan 00:28:19
I mean, I agree with what both of you said, and I think I'm just going to say, because the schedule is so full. We brought back some of our favorites, but then we sprinkled in new performances throughout the year. So I'm really just I'm most excited about that. And we also took advantage again of the Virginia Commission for the Arts touring artists, and found some artists on there that are going to be coming in. And so I think I'm most excited about the, you know, the fact that we were able to bring back some of our favorites. but we were able to really fill the schedule with, with new performances. And I'm also excited that we're bringing back John at the end of the year. Yeah, folks really love his one man show, A Christmas Carol, and it's been a couple of years since we hosted him, and everybody loves a great holiday performance, and so I'm excited that we're bringing him back as well at the end of the year.
Ryan 00:29:14
Yeah, it's a super it's a full schedule. But I do love that. It's a balance of things of artists that we've had before that are that are artists that our community love and then artists that they've maybe never heard of that were just kind of stretched them and throwing in some new people. so, you know, I'm not going to touch on the rest of this. I feel like we've got a whole lot going on. I will say, if you don't know, the Bower Center also has, rotating exhibits. We have about 6 to 7 exhibits a year, including our annual Curry Bower exhibit, our annual national jury to exhibit. This year, we have an exhibit called Art in motion, which is either art that is in motion or art that depicts motion. Sorry, I'm having a hard time saying that, you know, along with, you know, our Bedford County Public Schools exhibits are also going to be with us. we have lots of classes, particularly in clay and mosaics. I counted them up last night.
Ryan 00:30:08
We currently have 50 classes listed for our winter session. anywhere from, like I said, clay to mosaics to children's theater, to painting, To jewelry workshops. We've got a little bit of everything for everyone. And again, all of those can be found under the education tab on our website. we are still bringing back our three major annual events this year. so the annual murder mystery is going to be Mutiny and Murder A Pirate's Last voyage. That's going to be in February on the 21st. The Art of pairing, in a little nod to Doctor John. And our history is going to be the art of pairing Bower at the bayou. looking a little bit at just the bayou of Louisiana and Mississippi. that's going to be on October 17th. And then we have our annual Mistletoe Makers Market on Small Business Saturday on November 28th. So those annual events are going to be back again this year for us. So I'm looking at our time thinking we talked forever. so, what I will say is, you know, it's hard to believe, honestly, that the four of us make all this happen.
Ryan 00:31:21
And that's not really fair to say, because the four of us plan it, the four of us orchestrate it. But it cannot happen without the help of volunteers as well as the financial support of our community and the people and the companies that sponsor us. so I'll give just a quick little pitch. I am always looking for volunteers who want to do anything. We have something for everyone. If you want to sit as a gallery attendant and a docent and talk to guests about the exhibits as they walk in, I have a volunteer spot for you if you want to help out with concerts and performances, we have a spot for you if you want to get your hands dirty with the Heart Works program or the cab kids crafting and activities or arts activities, we have a spot for you. we if you reach out to me at the Bower Center, our Stefan at Bower Center, you can email me if you are interested or info at Bower org. I will find a way to use your volunteer skills. And Susan as our new Director of Development and Marketing.
Ryan 00:32:27
I'm going to let you talk for just a second about how they can help us out in a financial way.
Susan 00:32:34
Well, I mean, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that I mean, it it takes a village to support our organization and keep it running and operational. we we want to keep our fees to our community for participating in classes, concerts, performances as affordable as possible. But the only way we can do that is if we have outside support to help to offset our operational expenses. I mean, there's just no ifs, ands or buts about it. And we're so extremely grateful to our community and our individual donors, our grant supporters from grants and foundations. and then also our business support. those are all areas that I'm, I'm more than welcome to speak with anybody about how they could get involved in supporting financially. The Bower Center for the Arts. We have various ways to do that. Through individual donations. They can do monthly contributions, annual contributions, and then we have lots of sponsorship opportunities for both individuals and businesses that have a lot of marketing, you know, benefits to them.
Susan 00:33:39
But it's also an opportunity for them to show their support of the art in our community. So if anybody's interested in that, they can reach out to me again. And all of my contact information is on our website at Bower Center.
Ryan 00:33:53
Yeah, we definitely thank those sponsors for helping us keep it affordable, because that is part of art for everyone is that we can make it affordable and accessible to everyone. all right. I think it's time for us to wrap up. We've got so much going on here. Bower center for the Arts, where art meets community. And and we're doing we're striving to do just that, to bring the arts to our community. So I just want to highlight a few of the things that we've got going on for January and February, not the whole year. we're going to kick off our first concert with Nightcap on January 31st. It is the first show of that 14 show performance season. and it's going to be sponsored this year by first Bank trust, first Bank and Trust Destination Bedford.
Ryan 00:34:35
And, February 7th, with the support of Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation, we have Geoffrey doing his juggling and circus performance and workshop free of charge through our Cab Kids program. Then we're going to invite you to don your best pirate gear and your best pirate accent with our fifth annual interactive murder mystery, Mutiny and Murder Pirates last voyage that we do with our friends from jump Into Mystery. That's going to be on February 21st. Tickets are already selling for that. It's going to be a great time. closing out February, we have a doubleheader on Saturday, the 28th opera on the James Young Tyler artists perform. Program will present The Magic Flute at noon for the second Cab Kids event, and Patti Quartet will take the stage at 6:00 pm. All right. If you want to register for any of these amazing programs options, or if you just need any details on any of them, you can head on over to Bower Center. Org. You can follow our social media pages.
Ryan 00:35:36
You can sign up to receive our newsletter, or you can just stop by and we'll talk to you about it. Thank you all so much for listening. Thank you, Lauren, and thank you, Susan, for joining me this morning. And we'll see you at the Bower.
Time Stamps:
Sponsor Messages and Introductions (00:00:00)
Sponsor messages from healthcare and Granger, followed by Ryan Steffen introducing the podcast and its 20th anniversary theme.
Guest Introductions and Personal Backgrounds (00:02:06)
Ryan, Susan, and Lauren introduce themselves, sharing their backgrounds and how they became involved with the Bower Center.
History of the Bower Center (00:10:30)
Susan discusses the founding, early years, and evolution of the Bower Center, including its transition to an independent nonprofit.
The Center’s Mission and Community Impact (00:16:21)
Reflections on the importance of the arts center to Bedford, its unique role, and community appreciation.
2024 Vision and Changes (00:17:59)
Ryan outlines the center’s new motto, upcoming changes, and efforts to deepen community engagement.
Outreach and Heart Works Programs (00:19:19)
Lauren describes the Heart Works outreach program, collaborations, and the impact on participants.
Cab Kids Creative and Family Programming (00:21:14)
Details about Cab Kids Creative, its mission to provide free arts programming for families, and upcoming events.
2024 Concerts and Performances Preview (00:25:58)
Overview of the ambitious concert and performance schedule, with highlights of anticipated shows and artists.
Rotating Exhibits and Annual Events (00:30:08)
Information on art exhibits, classes, and annual events like the murder mystery, Art of Pairing, and Mistletoe Makers Market.
Volunteer and Financial Support Opportunities (00:31:21)
Call for volunteers and explanation of how community members and businesses can support the center financially.
Upcoming January and February Events (00:34:35)
Specific highlights of events in January and February, including concerts, workshops, and the annual murder mystery.
Key Words:
Bower Center for the Arts, Bedford Virginia, 20th anniversary, community impact, nonprofit management, arts programming, Ryan Steffen, Susan Martin, Lauren Hood, CAP Kids, Heart Works, performing arts, educational outreach, cultural hub, arts access, interactive experiences, community events, local artists, Virginia Commission for the Arts, concerts, workshops, art exhibits, volunteer opportunities, sponsorship, community support, arts education, family-friendly events, arts initiatives, creativity, accessibility, performing arts workshops, Jingle Bell Jamboree, Opera on the James, community engagement, arts and culture, fundraising, donations, financial support, arts in small towns, cultural events, arts center history, community leaders, nonprofit challenges, arts legacy, local organizations, creative careers, arts outreach programs.