DISCOVER CHARLESTON

With more than 600 members representing 40,000 employees, the Charleston Area Alliance is a multi-faceted economic, business and community development organization, as well the largest regional Chamber of Commerce in West Virginia. The Alliance works to attract new jobs and investments, helps businesses accelerate profitability, launches visionary community and cultural enhancements and develops the talent and resources that promote success and opportunity for all. Through these innovative programs, services and policy leadership, the Alliance and its members are driving the destiny of our region. Learn more about our efforts below.

The Charleston Light Opera Guild was founded in 1949 by a group of vocal teachers and talented amateur performers who sought an outlet for musical talent in the Kanawha Valley.  Leonard Stocker, the moving force in founding the Guild, had come to Charleston in 1948, after 15 years as a professional singer and actor.  A voice teacher at Mason College of Music in Charleston, he was joined by music teachers Margaret Hope Samms, Annie Laurie Leonard and Marguerite Palmer in forming the Guild.

To date the Charleston Light Opera Guild has produced over 200 shows.  The group continues to present a mixture of new and classic shows at the Civic Center Little Theatre, Clay Center Maier Performance Hall and Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre.  Summer theatre continues as a training ground for high school, college age and young adults.  Many working professionals in music theatre, television, film and dance including Kathy Mattea, Ann Magnuson and Jennifer Garner have graced the Guild stage during their formative years.

The South Charleston Chamber of Commerce is for your benefit.  We are a network of individuals, businesses, and government working together to promote and enhance businesses in the greater South Charleston area and throughout West Virginia.

The Chamber strives to seek out and welcome new businesses into the area and works to create business opportunities for local merchants by sponsoring major annual events.  We work aggressively and cooperatively with city officials to create an atmosphere conducive to business by addressing the needs of both retailers and customers.

Our board meets monthly to determine a course of action for issues of concern.  There are also several different committees on which any member of the Chamber may serve; these committees include Events, Marketing & Member Services, Information & Training, and Public Policy, among others.

To inspire creativity, learning and wonder through experiences in the Arts and Sciences for all people of West Virginia and the region.

The Clay Center is influential in the vitality of West Virginia’s progressive and thriving economy. Businesses are flourishing, tourism is vibrant, creative and talented citizens are bringing national recognition to the state. The Center’s programs enhance educational achievement and intellectual capacity and promote the arts and sciences as an integral part of life.

The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia opened on July 12, 2003. The Center, a 240,000 square foot structure, houses performing arts, visual arts and sciences under one roof – one of the few of its kind in the country. Located in the state’s capital city of Charleston, the facility is home to the Clay Center’s Avampato Discovery Museum, the Juliet Museum of Art and the Maier Foundation Performance Hall, home of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Kanawha Players is the one of the oldest, continuously operating amateur theater company in the country. It has produced a season of live productions since 1922. Even during the Great Depression, Kanawha Players kept entertaining.

A team of volunteers constructed a workshop at 5315 MacCorkle Ave in the 1940s. Over the summer of 2002 another team of volunteers gave it a bright new interior.

In 2005, KP bought and began to renovate a former church at the corner of Beauregard and Washington Streets, to begin its new performance and workshop space.

We are the oldest amateur theater group in West Virginia and in 1941 we were named the official Theatre of West Virginia.

Now, in our 93rd season, with a new President, new Board of Directors, and a team of volunteers from the community (including you!), we plan to continue our long-standing tradition of bringing quality community theatre to West Virginia, as well as improve our community relations and involve the public even more than ever! So Come play with us and enjoy the opportunities that the theatre can bring, you’ll meet new friends and make memories that last a lifetime.

The mission of Kanawha Players is to produce quality theater in a nurturing community environment, while providing a place for education, training and encouragement to those interested in participating in the dramatic arts.

In December of 2004, the Charleston Alley Cats changed their name to the West Virginia Power and introduced their 5 new mascots, Axe, Gusty, Pyro, Hydro, and Charlie.

On April 14, 2005, the West Virginia Power moved into beautiful Appalachian Power Park in the East End of Charleston. With the new stadium, came a new affiliation for the newly named ball club from Charleston as the Power became a member of the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

The Power saw the future face of the Brewers in 2005 as soon to be MVP Ryan Braun donned a West Virginia uniform as well as future major league infielder Alcides Escobar. 2006 was no different for the Power as future major league outfielders Michael Brantley and Lorenzo Cain both posted batting averages over .300 en route to a 74-62 record for West Virginia. In 2007 and 2008, West Virginia saw incredible success as the Power took home the SAL Northern Division Championship, but fell in the championship series both years
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In 2009, the Power became the class-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 2009 saw future outfield sensation Starling Marte at Appalachian Power Park and the first Pirate era Power player to make it to the big leagues in Chase d’Arnaud, who made his MLB debut in 2011.

The Power regained the Northern Division in 2013, but fell to the Hagerstown Suns in the opening round of the SAL Playoffs. On April 10, 2014, the Power celebrated their 10th Opening Day at Appalachian Power Park.

The West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is West Virginia’s premier performing arts organization, presenting classical, pops, family and chamber-music concerts annually throughout the Mountain State. Currently in its 76th season, the WVSO is a proud member of the community and enriches the region by providing affordable, high-quality concerts, collaborations with West Virginia arts organizations and a nationally award-winning education program.

The Charleston Black Ministerial Alliance Inc. is a covenanted, interdenominational, interracial union of ministers of the Gospel who are committed to exercising their gifts for ministries to edify the Church as the Body Of Christ and to follow His example of Servant Leadership to service human needs, embrace the human family and for the improvement of the human community in the African-American context.