The Department of Daydreams, in collaboration with Elkins-Randolph County-Tourism, presents Dandelion: an interactive & immersive public art experience in downtown Elkins by artist Nevada Tribble.

What’s the Department of Daydreams?

The Department of Daydreams is a series of immersive public art experiences that artist Nevada Tribble is creating in downtown Elkins. The Department of Daydreams began as a series of temporary installations located in the back hallway of Mycelium (now Double Knee Vintage) on Davis Avenue. These Installations were a beloved attraction, bringing many customers into the host store. This series culminated with Frost, which is now a permanent installation which will reopen to the public concurrently with Dandelion.

What is an immersive public art experience?

In an immersive public art experience (sometimes called installation art), the entire room is the art piece, and the viewer becomes part of the art by entering the room. Viewers experience the artwork by exploring the room, as if they had just walked into a painting. There can sometimes also be interactive components of the artwork that viewers may participate in.

So tell me about Dandelion!

Dandelion is the second art installation in the Department of Daydreams series, and it will be located in the Wilt Building alongside the Augusta Heritage Center. As the name suggests, this piece is inspired by dandelions and will feature abstract artistic representations of dandelion flowers, leaves, and seeds. As viewers explore the space, they will have the opportunity to make a “dandelion wish” by writing a wish on a paper dandelion seed and adding it to the walls, contributing to an ever-evolving portion of the artwork. The installation is planned to open in summer 2026, and will be open to the public free of charge during regular business hours.

Why here, and why now?

2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for downtown Elkins, between the opening of the new Augusta Heritage Center building, the highly anticipated opening of the Interact Children’s Museum, the new Railyard Event & Conference Center, and the vibrant array of downtown businesses both new and longstanding that form the backbone of downtown. Public art has been proven to be a catalyst of economic development, and at the Elkins-Randolph County Tourism CVB we have increasingly strived to promote Randolph County as a top arts and culture destination, and create an environment in which our local businesses thrive. We believe that this unique immersive installation will become another destination for families and tourists, and will set Elkins apart in our region.

Budget

The total budget to transform the old newsstand in the Wilt Building into a unique and vibrant immersive public art experience is $10,800. Elkins Randolph County-Tourism is managing the project and has commissioned artist Nevada Tribble to create the art piece. The West Virginia Department of Tourism has awarded the CVB a grant in the amount of $5,000, and the CVB is contributing $800 towards marketing efforts to promote the project. Local organizations have pledged an additional $2,000 to the project, leaving only $3,000 of required matching funds to raise. Any contributions would be incredibly helpful in bringing this truly unique attraction to downtown Elkins.

Timeline

Preparatory construction on the host space in the Wilt Building has already begun. The fabrication of the artwork is scheduled to begin in March/April, depending on the acquisition of matching funds. The exhibit will open to the public in summer 2026, concurrent with the Augusta Heritage Center’s summer programming which brings many visitors downtown.

How can you help?

You can help support this project by financially contributing to the Elkins-Randolph CVB!

Please contact Ben Duvall-Irwin at elkinsrandolphtourism@gmail.com to make a donation. Spreading the word is also very helpful! Tell your friends, neighbors, and fellow art-lovers about the exciting new attraction coming to downtown Elkins and get excited with us! Click here for a informational PDF you can share!

Donations may be made by check to:

Elkins Depot Welcome Center CVB, Inc.
315 Railroad Ave
Elkins, WV 26241

This project is supported with financial assistance from the West Virginia Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval of the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.