The Wheeling Arts and Cultural Commission is staying for good after City Council voted in its favor this month. Since 2009, the commission has been responsible for bringing the arts to Wheeling residents, beginning as a temporary idea.

Council members voted to make the commission a permanent piece of the city -- members working to bring the arts to the city.

"We bring artists, and writers and musicians around the state to the area for a day to present their poetry and present their music," said Jeremy Morris, of the Wheeling Arts and Cultural Commission.

Chair members said they not only bring the arts, but what they do improves the looks of the city and local economic growth. Now, they said they are planning ahead for 2013.

"We hope to make the city, the citizens in the arts community (aware of) what goes on here, the activities and programs that are going on each week in the city. We hope to create an arts calendar, so it's easy to find those events," said Morris.

Officials said the commission helps connect students, teachers and residents around town through the Capitol Theatre events, symphony concerts and more.

"I think the arts commission has helped connect a lot of organizations that were individually promoting the arts, and we have sort of an umbrella organization now that helps us unify the voice about the importance of arts," said Morris.

The commission's biggest event, the Arts Festival, will be same weekend as West Virginia Day to celebrate its 150th anniversary in the summer of 2013.