Ron Scott Jr., left, cultural diversity and community outreach director for YWCA Wheeling, and Liz Handzus, director of marketing and development, discuss events for the upcoming Hip Hop: A Black Tie Affair, set to happen Feb. 16-21. (Photo by Joselyn King)

WHEELING – The mood is formal and elegant, while the music and art bring the edge as the fifth “Hip Hop: A Black Tie Affair” happens next week in Wheeling.

The celebration is actually a series of events presented by YWCA and through partnerships with the Stifel Fine Arts Center, Wheeling Heritage, the Wheeling Arts and Culture Commission and WesBanco.

The events begin on Feb. 16, and continue through Feb. 21.

“It’s been pretty amazing to watch this thing grow to what it has become now,” said Ron Scott Jr., cultural diversity and community outreach director for YWCA Wheeling.

“People are buying into the idea of hip-hop being not just a musical genre – that it is a part of a culture that people can express in different ways.”

That expression doesn’t happen just through music, but through the visual arts and spoken word, he continued.

“And I think they like the idea of an event that has both elegance and hip-hop involved,” he said. “Nobody feels like they are in a seedy club, or they have to go to a bar to enjoy it. They can really feel like it’s a night out where they can get dressed up and enjoy some art, music and good people.”

Visual artwork inspired by hip-hop culture will be on display and available for purchase at the Stifel Fine Arts Center between Feb. 16-Feb. 21. The exhibit explores hip-hop’s roots in storytelling, resistance, identity and community connection.

Beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 20 at the Wheeling Artisan Center, Wheeling Heritage will host a spoken word and hip-hop performance night featuring local artists and a live DJ.

Events conclude at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 at the Stifel Fine Arts Center with a closing ceremony featuring an a cappella video screen with local and national MC’s responding to the theme “Where Ya At?” This will be followed by a vinyl DJ session bridging old-school and new-school hip-hop.

“Hip-hop has always been more than music,” Scott said. “It’s a platform for truth, resilience and social change. During Black History Month, this exhibit allows us to honor hip-hop’s origins while uplifting the voices that continue to shape culture and challenge systems today.”

Liz Handzus, director of marketing and development at YWCA Wheeling, emphasized the importance of community collaboration in bringing the event to life.

“This experience is about visibility, representation and shared history,” she said. “By partnering with organizations committed to arts and culture in Wheeling, we’re creating a space where stories are heard, creativity is honored and community is strengthened.”