Press Kit

Southwest Virginia includes 19 counties, four independent cities, and 53 towns located on Virginia’s southern and western border. Its 8,600 square miles – more than a fifth of Virginia’s total – are located along mountain ridges and in fertile valleys, with two national parks, 11 state parks, and over a thousand square miles of national and state forests. It’s where you’ll find a culture of music and craft that is authentic, distinctive, and alive, as well as a natural landscape that is breathtaking in its magnitude and scope. It’s a place where the pace of life is slower, people are friendlier, and there are outdoor recreation opportunities of all kinds.

By capitalizing on the unique qualities of our region, Southwest Virginia utilizes its cultural and natural assets to build a comprehensive, long-term, sustainable economy through initiatives like the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace (formerly Heartwood), The Crooked Road, ’Round The Mountain, and related cultural heritage organizations and venues that promote entrepreneurial and employment opportunities