CHARLESTON, W.Va. — FestivALL Charleston now has a new headquarters to work out of before the kick-off to their main five-day event in a couple of weeks from now.

FestivALL staff joined those with the Charleston Area Alliance Tuesday afternoon to cut the ribbon on their new headquarters.

For the time being, they will be operating out of the upstairs offices at Charleston Area Alliance on Smith Street in downtown Charleston as their newest Business Hub & Incubator program tenant.

FestivALL Marketing and Productions Coordinator Kate Daugherty said it feels great to finally have a stable office space to work out of and call their own.

“Before, I was working from the library, sometimes working from my car, so it feels nice to actually have a home here in the Alliance, it has been really, really great so far, they have welcomed us and have really made it feel like home,” Daugherty said.

Brian Aluise with the Charleston Area Alliance said at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting that they are thrilled to welcome FestivALL to their space.

“For more than two decades, FestivALL has transformed our city into a work of art bringing creativity to every corner of our community,” Aluise said. “The space we cut the ribbon on today is more than just an office, it’s a blank canvas for ideas and a testament to what’s possible when art and community comes together.”

Charleston Area Alliance President and CEO Mara Boggs agreed with that sentiment, adding that their business and incubator program helps lift organizations like FestivALL up.

“Here at the Charleston Area Alliance, we mean business, and there’s no better example of this than what we’re doing here in our business and incubator,” Boggs said. “Where we are now today is not where we’ll be in a year, I can promise you that, this is truly a community hub for business.”

Boggs said since the program’s inception 35 years ago, they have created over 400 jobs and over 170 small businesses.

FestivALL Board President Clifton Clark said this means a lot and is monumental as the organization heads into its 21st year this year.

“When you get to that point and you find yourself reinvigorating yourself and trying to take the best parts of what you’ve done and move it to the next level, it’s just incredible and it’s humbling,” Clark said.

FestivALL, one of the city’s biggest premier arts events, will be returning to Charleston May 28-June 1 this year and will feature art, music, theater and dance events all across the city for those five days.

Daugherty said they have scaled back the days of the event this year as they are currently in a transitioning process, but she said they are taking it back to the basics and revisiting FestivALL’s most flagship events.

She said having this new space really helps in this transitioning process and as FestivALL itself is right around the corner. 

“We have been full steam ahead with event planning, it has been non-stop, but it has been really great, things have been coming together and it’s going to be a great season for FestivALL.

The festival kicks off Wednesday, May 28 with one of their flagship events, the Art-for-All Juried Kids Art Exhibition. This will be an ongoing event at the Clay Center, lasting until June 7.

Also on May 28 will be the Three Things live speaker series at Capitol Market starting at 7 p.m.

The five day FestivALL continues through June 1 with various other flagship activities, including arts and craft workshops, bike and walking tours around the city, a contemporary dance workshop. the Children’s Art Fair and the Capitol Street Art Fair, the Charlie West Music Fest, and the Carriage Trail Walk.

Daugherty said it feels refreshing to be returning to the basics of the beloved event.

“We’re very, very exciting to return to that, start fresh, start new, it’s going to be a very exciting season.”

FestivALL partners with over 90 arts and community organizations as well as hundreds of local, regional, national and international artists.

You can see the full FestivALL schedule of events at festivallcharleston.com.