Free hands-on art activities at community events such as First Fridays in Marietta have been part of the mission of Artsbridge to bring art related activities to the area. Artsbridge is beginning a fundraising campaign to support its programming. (Photo Provided)

PARKERSBURG — Artsbridge is launching its annual fundraising drive as it approaches 40 years of impact in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The fundraising drive recently got underway as Artsbridge is working to sustain and grow the 14 arts education and community outreach programs it has done in the Mid-Ohio Valley for nearly four decades.

Founded in 1986, Artsbridge will mark its 40th anniversary in 2026, culminating in an exciting community-wide fundraising celebration in October of that year, organizers said.

As the organization approaches this milestone, its mission has never been more vital, they added. With state funding cuts and uncertainty looming, Artsbridge is calling on the community to rally together in support of the arts.

“We are so grateful for the support we receive each year from local businesses and community members,” said Artsbridge Executive Director Lyndsay Dennis. “Through Artsbridge, I have witnessed the transformative impact on communities when there is an intentional investment in the arts. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure that the arts remain accessible to everyone in our region.”

Artsbridge has operated under the belief that the arts are for everyone.

Its programs reach thousands each year, offering a wide variety of opportunities including:

* Arts Education: Artists on Tour and Catalog of Artists for elementary through junior high students; Arts Encounter for middle school students; art shows and openings at Artsbridge, Belpre Citizens Bank, and Grand Central Mall; scholarships for students; and teacher awards.

* Community Connection: The Very Spectacular Arts Festival for students with developmental disabilities; Art Connections, a trauma-informed expressive arts program born in 2018 out of the substance abuse crisis; and free hands-on art activities at community events such as First Fridays in Marietta and Monster Mash.

* Public Performances & Healing Arts: Free summer concerts at City Park, free winter music at Grand Central Mall, art installations, and therapeutic programming like Art After Dark and Art with Angels.

Through its mission to Educate, Entertain, and Enrich, Artsbridge continues to bring people together across the Mid-Ohio Valley, making art both accessible and healing, organizers said.

“We’re turning 40 in 2026, and our community will get to celebrate with us at an incredible fundraising event next October,” Dennis said. “It’s a moment to look back at everything we’ve accomplished together–and to step forward into a future where the arts remain a powerful, unifying force in the Mid-Ohio Valley.”

All funds raised during the annual drive remain local, directly supporting these programs and ensuring the arts remain a part of community life. Tax-deductible donations to the Artsbridge Fall Fund Drive 2025 can be made by mailing a check to 350 Seventh St., Parkersburg, WV 26101, or by visiting artsbridgeonline.org and clicking “donate” in the upper right-hand corner.