WHEREAS, since its founding in 1962, the McLean Project for the Arts has presented works by more than 1,500 emerging and established artists, offered studio art classes and workshops, and promoted art education through lectures, talks, and museum tours, benefiting 30,000 residents annually; and

WHEREAS, the McLean Project for the Arts showcases its visual arts program at the McLean Community Center, in the first public-private partnership in the arts with Fairfax County, the McLean Community Center and Fairfax County Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, the McLean Project for the Arts has three galleries, including the 2,000 square foot Emerson Gallery, a unique exhibit space in Northern Virginia that appeals to artists and visitors alike; and

WHEREAS, Senator Clive DuVal II, who represented McLean in the Virginia House of Delegates for six years and in the Virginia Senate for twenty years, donated in honor of his devoted wife, Sue, the Susan B. DuVal Art Studio, where more than 200 art classes a year are offered to the community by the McLean Project for the Arts; and

WHEREAS, Susan B. DuVal, an accomplished artist and passionate arts advocate, was one of the first board members for the McLean Project for the Arts; and

WHEREAS, one of McLean Project for the Arts' signature efforts is its ArtReach program that sends artists and art educators into Fairfax County Public Schools to work with students; the program also brings school children back to the gallery for free tours and hands-on activities; and

WHEREAS, ArtReach also serves at-risk pupils and students in self-contained classes, helping them to gain an appreciation for art and fostering creativity; for some participants, the trip to the McLean Project for the Arts is their first visit to an art gallery or art museum; and

WHEREAS, ArtReach conducts free art workshops for senior citizens at area senior centers and the McLean Project for the Arts offers family art programs on Saturday mornings; in total, ArtReach serves more than 3,000 residents each year at no cost to the participants; and

WHEREAS, the McLean Project for the Arts sponsors MPAartfest in October, a free one-day visual and performing arts festival, which is attended by thousands of residents; the community event features the work of dozens of artists, along with children's programs, an Open Studio demonstration, and concerts by local school groups and bands; and

WHEREAS, for 50 years, the McLean Project for the Arts has successfully lived up to its mission to exhibit the work of artists from the mid-Atlantic region, to promote awareness and understanding of contemporary art, and to offer instruction and education in the visual arts; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the McLean Project for the Arts on its 50th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the McLean Project for the Arts as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and admiration for the organization's commitment to the visual arts and art education.