Heartwood

The Mission

The Mission of Heartwood

Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway will showcase the cultural and natural heritage of Southwest Virginia and contribute to a sustainable economy. Heartwood will serve as a gateway for the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe. Through retail sales and demonstrations, Heartwood will be representative of crafts created by individuals as well as venues that include craft as an institutional program. Promotion of visitation to these sites and selected individual studios will be a priority of the Gateway’s visitor services. Heartwood will strive to be a catalyst for community development, fostering partnerships for education, marketing, and entrepreneurial activities related to the region’s tourism opportunities and will promote an appreciation for the rich culture of southwest Virginia.

Benefits to the region:

  • Provide a retail venue for artisans throughout southwest Virginia
  • Provide a range of quality artisans products (in both price and medium) in order to appeal to a broad customer base
  • Provide opportunities for exhibits of artisanship and demonstrations by southwest Virginia artisans
  • Include visitor amenities
  • Serve as a general tourist/visitor center with information on regional attractions, lodging and way-finding
  • Serve as a central resource on other regional artisans, outdoor and cultural venues to help visitors learn of and access these opportunities
Heartwood is a project under development by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and `Round the Mountain: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Network.