“HOPEWELL VALLEY STAMPEDE”: A valley-wide public art display of 69 life-size oxen decorated by artists and students in 2014 raised the initial funds for the Hopewell Valley Arts Council. Their initial arrival before decoration is pictured here.

The Hopewell Valley Arts Council is celebrating 10 years since its founding by a group of dedicated volunteers who envisioned a way to involve the community in the arts and support many local artists, a mission that continues to this day.

Over these past 10 years, the HV Arts Council has woven itself into the fabric of the community by being part of the area’s everyday community events and significant cultural celebrations, and creating many of their own public art displays.

The Hopewell Valley Stampede, in 2014, was a valley-wide public art display of 69 life-size oxen decorated by artists and students that raised the initial funds for this nonprofit. Although in the hands of private owners, many of these oxen can still be seen as one drives through the roads of Hopewell Valley.

In 2021, the HV Arts Council displayed 60 decorated spires with “Out of the Ashes: Art Emerging from Fallen Trees — ArtSpire,” commemorating the loss of native ash trees; the Amazing Pumpkin Carve, now in its 10th year, attracts over 3,000 attendees during the course of a fall weekend; and, in 2023, the HV Arts Council displayed sculptures — large and small — in “Celebrating the Everyday,” honoring of the life of renowned late local artist Seward Johnson Jr.

Beyond these major projects, the HV Arts Council has embarked on “small but mighty” projects, including co-hosting the online artist talks and family art workshops with the Pennington Public Library; curating a dedicated gallery space at the Global Neuroscience Institute building in Pennington and at the Ottoburger Lounge in Hopewell; and, most recently, taking on a leadership role with Hopewell Tour Des Arts, a free self-guided tour of galleries and spaces of over 60 artists. The HV Arts Council has also presented annual art scholarships to students at HV Central Regional High School since its inception.

According to the HV Arts Council, these art initiatives, in their many forms, provide joy, inspiration, and unifying experiences for the community, while garnering support for the organization and its mission. Despite the challenges of limited resources and ongoing impacts from the pandemic, the HV Arts Council continues its commitment to “celebrate art in the everyday.”

“We have come so far in the past 10 years,” said longtime Executive Director Carol Lipson, “and we are so grateful for the many individuals and businesses who have contributed to our success. We look forward to many more years of creativity and community!”

The HV Arts Council invites the entire community to come and celebrate on Sunday, August 25 at the outdoor area of Brick Farm Tavern from 3 to 7 p.m. for an afternoon of art, music, and summer fare. Early Bird tickets purchased by August 1 for $150; regular tickets are $175. Proceeds will go toward supporting the organization’s activities and mission.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hvartscouncil.org.