The Foundation for Historic Christ Church recently announced it has received a $4,500 grant from the American Evolution 2019 Marketing Grant Program, reported education director and curator Robert Teagle.
American Evolution 2019 is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s commemoration of the 400th anniversary of several significant historical events that took place in Virginia in 1619 that continue to influence America today. These include the first representative legislative assembly in the New World, the arrival of the first recorded Africans to English North America, the recruitment of women to the Virginia colony in significant numbers, the first official English Thanksgiving in North America, and the development of the colony’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit.
Through educational programs, signature events and partnerships with historic and cultural sites, American Evolution 2019 will inspire local, national and international engagement in the themes of democracy, diversity and opportunity, Teagle said. The commemoration will build awareness of Virginia’s role in the creation of the U.S. and reinforce Virginia’s leadership in education, tourism and economic development.
Historic Christ Church & Museum (HCC&M) will use the grant to create printed and digital marketing materials to promote its public programs that connect to the American Evolution 2019 Commemoration and highlight Christ Church as a leading tourist destination for Lancaster County and the Northern Neck. These include a new rack card design featuring HCC&M events, targeted ads and boosted posts on Facebook, and website enhancements.
HCC&M hopes to attract new and diverse audiences, increase visitation and deliver high-quality community programs that explore Virginia’s enduring legacies of democracy, diversity and opportunity, said Teagle. This increased visitation will encourage spending at local businesses.
In 2018, HCC&M will host several programs related to the 2019 commemoration, including a Sunday speaker series on Virginia women in history, a traveling exhibition from the Library of Virginia, a public reading of the Declaration of Independence, and a Rappahannock Institute for Lifelong Learning class on women in colonial Virginia. The National Historic Landmark site also will be on the American Evolution Digital Trail when it premieres in May.
Administered by the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the grant requires $4,500 in matching funds from the Foundation for Historic Christ Church. For more information, visit americanevolution2019.com. For a list of Historic Christ Church & Museum’s 2018 programs, visit christchurch1735.org.
