Region 8 Commissioner

Meet Your Commissioner 

How have the arts impacted you?

The arts make the world make more sense and help share meaning. They allow us to communicate abstract ideas directly. It’s like when you hear a part in a song and just “get it” or see a painting or photograph that pulls at your heart.

How have you seen the arts impact Virginians?

The arts build community. They allow us to see each other’s humanity, perspectives, and stories.

What might someone be surprised to know about you?

I love video games! In particular the Final Fantasy series (especially Final Fantasy 7). I love the adventures, music, and how the characters interact with each other. Video games are an incredible way to tell stories.

If you could be a world class artist, what would you be/do?

I’d love to be able to play the piano really well – sight read masterpieces, play in a jazz band, play holiday songs with my family. Or a carpenter who only uses hand tools. I’m always so impressed with craftsmen who work like that.

If you had to say what your superpower was, what might that be?

Calculating the price per unit in the grocery store!

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Alex Grabiec is a curator, artist, and educator based out of rural Virginia. His photographic work considers fatherhood, how we see ourselves through images, and the relationship that photography has with narrative. Born in 1984, Alex earned his BFA in 2007 from Longwood University and in 2016 an MFA in Photographic and Electronic Media from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He strives to curate exhibitions and teach classes that inspire people to lead more hopeful, compassionate, and participatory lives for the greater good of their communities. The arts encourage us to think more critically, build community, and feel more deeply.