Tucked away in the heart of The Avenue is a small, beautifully crafted center of culture, community and spirit. The building at 1027 Roanoke Ave., is the home of the Halifax County Arts Council and serves as its main gallery.

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It is also a symbol of what we can do when we are determined, caring and willing to spend our time and talents to improve the remarkable place we call home — the Roanoke Valley.

The Arts Council was brought back to life a few years ago and is now a stalwart in encourage the arts — of all flavors and approaches — in the Roanoke Valley.

The Council’s Sip & See series has given numerous local artists the opportunity to display their works and for the public to meet these creative spirits and see their mind’s eye come to life.

The summer series for young people and the various classes and programs throughout the year encourage us all to get off the couch and give flight to our creative visions.

The Art Council has supported numerous highly talented arts in a variety of media ranging from pastels and oils to pen and ink to tattoo ink and needles to wood to clay to glass, and more.

Individual dedication blended with teamwork helped create the Arts Council and reminded us all of the rich cultural community that is our Valley. Too often we overlook these precious resources.

The list is seemingly unending including the Lakeland Theatre, Historical Halifax, the Northampton County Museum, the Roanoke Canal Museum & Trail, Remembering Tillery’s History House, First Friday Acoustic Jams and more. All of these places and events encourage the arts and preserve our history.

The Arts Council and all the rest thrive thanks to the generosity of the Roanoke Valley’s residents who contribute their time, talents and treasury to these causes.

We encourage our Valley neighbors to embrace the growth of the arts and opportunities to grow through music, art, books, storytelling, theater and other signs of a culturally vibrant community.

Penny-pinching is a sign of our times but we must take care not to short either aid to our less fortunate neighbors or nourishing our cultural and community centers. We must feed our souls and minds as we feed our bodies. If we do less, we may find ourselves wandering malnourished in a sea of mediocrity — couch potatoes.