Chestnut Creek School of Arts preserves and promotes the cultural heritage of southwest Virginia by fostering artistic and individual growth through classes in visual and performing arts, heritage and contemporary craft, and traditional music.

The school is designed to provide a central setting in downtown Galax, where accomplished artists and musicians can share their skills and talents. By providing an environment and the resources conducive to learning, Chestnut Creek School of the Arts’ goals are to:
•Communicate the value of art and traditional music.
•Improve arts education.
•Encourage cultural enrichment and creativity.
•Promote economic development.
•Preserve the heritage of SW VA.
The primary format is to offer week-long and week-end workshops in a variety of media, appealing to a national and international market, as well as evening and daytime classes that will appeal to local school children and other residents within easy driving distance. The classes that will be the backbone for early programming are:
–Musical Instrument Building
–Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Dulcimer performance
–Carving
–Chair construction and caning
–Glass bead and jewelry making
–Quilting and Needlework
–Fiber Arts ( Spinning, Dyeing, Weaving)
–Studio art ( Drawing, Painting, Sculpture)

This region is our campus and we will be partnering with a number of organizations to provide a diverse and enriching program. Our offices are currently housed in the former Vaughan Library and will continue offering classes out of this historic landmark until our main facility undergoes a complete renovation. Our main facility is the former First National Bank located on the corner of Main and Grayson Street in downtown Galax –Construction is to start soon and is expected to be complete byFall of 2009.