Episode 17: The Ampersand International Arts Festival
LTATM 17: The Ampersand International Arts Festival
AMPERSAND INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL
March 16 - 22, 2026 • Williamsburg, Virginia
Where to watch or listen to LTATM | Lets Talk About The Music
Episode 17: The Ampersand International Arts Festival
The arts in various forms have been enriching the lives of humanity since the first caveman paintings and aboriginal chants and dances. Gradually people began competing in the arts, which eventually led to festivals of different types as a way to showcase talent and offer goods and services for public consumption.
The ancient Greeks formed drama festivals where playwrights and poets vied to have their works publicly performed and actors strived to win the best parts; the first recorded such gathering took place in 543 BC in Greece. Later, the European Middle Ages saw the rise of art fairs (such as recorded in the Netherlands around 1460 CE), which featured many different commodities and artistic endeavors offered for trade.
Today, arts festivals celebrate culture and creativity of many types and styles, often featuring dance, music, theater, arts and crafts, and both contemporary and traditional art forms. These festivals frequently become vital to local communities, generating pride and contributing to the local economy. One such event is highlighted in today’s episode: the Ampersand International Arts Festival (AIAF) in Williamsburg, Virginia
A Modern Celebration of the Arts
The Ampersand was originally known as the W&M Global Film Festival. Beginning as a one-day showcase of notable films, the W&M was founded in 2007 by Professor Tim Barnard at the College of William & Mary. The continuing success of the festival saw it expand into a weeklong presentation that added a variety of art forms in 2016; at this point, the W&M was rebranded into the AIAF to reflect its new and broader scope. Held annually in March in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, the festival now offers films, workshops, special guests, and live music, theatre, and dance—all open to the public and often free.
LTATM Guests: Liz Sykes and Adam Stackhouse of the AIAF
The Ampersand sounds incredible, doesn’t it? Well, to celebrate its 18th year, I invited organizers Liz and Adam onto LTATM to deep-dive into the festival. We talked about its history, the origin of the name, and its evolution over time. Hosting such a wide variety of art forms presents its own challenges, and Liz and Adam had some great stories and insights on melding diverse interests into a cohesive festival theme and the impacts seen on the local community. We covered a ton of topics, including delving into lots of behind-the-scenes info, so Episode 17 is a definite not-miss!
Liz and Adam were terrific and entertaining guests, and it was an honor to get to know them. The AIAF is an amazing event if you have a chance to catch it. This podcast was recorded after the 2025 festival ended, but I am keeping my fingers crossed to make it in 2026! Mark your own calendars: March 16–22, 2026.
My good friend Marjorie lives in Virginia and was able to make this year’s AIAF. Episode 23 covers her date at the festival in a special presentation of LTATM Community Connections, where LTATM gets out of the studio and into the crowd. Check it out to get an on-the-ground review!
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Marjorie Dulaney Butt - Live at Ampersand International Festival
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