CHARLESTON, W.Va. — FestivALL Charleston’s new executive director Zack Harold says he’s got big plans in store for the annual multi-day art event.
Harold came on 580 Live Wednesday to talk about those plans after recently being selected to succeed Interim CEO Brittany Javins as leader of the organization.
He said as a life-long resident of the Kanawha Valley, he’s seen FestivALL’s incredible impact on the community and wanted to be a part of that.
“I’ve been a fan of FestivALL since the beginning and saw the job had opened up and I thought, that sounds like a lot of fun,” Harold said.
Harold has served as a writer and digital storyteller across multiple platforms and publications for his entire career, first starting at the former Charleston Daily Mail as an education reporter before becoming the Life and Entertainment Editor there.
When the papers merged, he then went on to serve as Managing Editor at WV Living Magazine.
For the last six years, Harold has been working with West Virginia University Extension as a multimedia specialist, as well as freelance writing for various publications, including Rolling Stone and The Guardian.
He said that he found his love for writing translates over to FestivALL’s mission very nicely.
“Throughout my entire journalistic career I’ve really been interested in supporting and uplifting the arts, drawing attention to local musicians and artists and performing troupes, and this FestivALL job seemed like a way to continue that support in a more direct way,” Harold said.
Every late spring, early summer, FestivALL is known for “creating the city into a work of art” through various programming that encompasses visual art, music, and performing arts at various locations across Charleston.
Harold said that he plans to continue that mission of bringing innovative and exciting art programming to the Capitol City, but he said he also has plans to expand it to year-round events, even beyond their other event, FestivFALL that’s held in October.
He explains what all this expansion may entail.
“Doing some education inside local schools to bring the arts to kids and communities outside Charleston, and continuing that legacy of FestivALL, but kind of pushing it a little further as we enter into our next two decades,” he said.
Harold said that FestivALL has changed a lot throughout its 21-year history, first starting as a weekend event then expanding to a week, then two weeks, and this past event, it was scaled back down to five days.
He said their plan with him on board is to hold a week-long FestivALL.
Harold said when FestivALL began, the Sternwheel Regatta wasn’t taking place, and now they are just working to balance it with all the other events the city typically has going on that time of year.
“Working with other events in Charleston, a rising tide lifts all boats, we’re not trying to compete with anybody, we’re just all pulling in the same direction,” Harold said.
Harold is set to officially start in the role on August 15.