News Release

Shenandoah National Park Selects Artist Malia Furtado for the July Artist-in-Residence Program

Date: July 16, 2018
Contact: Jessica Kusky, 540-999-3500 ext. 3181

Luray, Virginia: Shenandoah National Park is pleased to announce the selection of Malia Furtado as the July Artist-in-Residence. Malia is a bluegrass fiddler born and raised in the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley and her artistic formation is steeped in the traditional music of the Appalachian Mountains. “In traditional American music, the mountains are an integral part of the music; they weave themselves into every strain and through the lyrics of countless songs.” said Malia. Malia currently resides in Staunton, Virginia. In addition to performing with the Gina Clowes Project, she is a fiddle instructor at camps, workshops and festivals up and down the East Coast including at the Front Porch Roots Music School in Charlottesville, VA and Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave.

Her residency will run through July 30, 2018. Park visitors are invited to join Malia for public programs on Wednesday, July 25 at 8:30 p.m. at the Skyland Amphitheater (mile 42.5 Skyline Drive) and on Saturday, July 28 at 1:30 p.m. at the Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51 Skyline Drive). The public presentations are suitable for visitors of all ages.
 
Superintendent Jennifer Flynn stated ”We are pleased to select a musician for our Artist-in Residence Program for the first time. We look forward to hearing the special music she composes that will be inspired by her experiences staying here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Shenandoah National Park”.

Shenandoah National Park is a jewel among National Park Service sites and offers a distinctive array of natural, cultural, and recreational opportunities for visitors. The Artist-in-Residence program is established in numerous National Park Service sites to inspire artists to create and share art that not only motivates and encourages millions of people to visit and explore, but also helps build awareness and develop stewardship of these beautiful public lands.

Shenandoah’s Artist-in-Residence program is supported by a generous donation from the Shenandoah National Park Trust. "Donors to the Shenandoah National Park Trust are proud to fund programs like Artist-in-Residence, which explore new opportunities to connect people with this remarkable landscape," stated Shenandoah National Park Trust Executive Director Susan Sherman.
 
More information about the Artist–in-Residence program can be found on the park’s website at: https://www.nps.gov/shen/getinvolved/supportyourpark/artist-in-residence.htm