CPFA’s Executive Director, Rick Bryant, is happy to answer questions about press releases. Please give us a call at 814-237-3682 or complete the inquiry form here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
You can access our media kit, which includes downloadable versions of our logo, a brief overview of the organization, and other relevant information, here.
With deep regret, the Board of Directors of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announces the cancellation of its July 2021 in person event due to ongoing public health concerns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the number of Americans receiving vaccinations is encouraging, ongoing public health guidance makes it impossible to produce the event our community has come to know and love. We must continue to put the health and safety of our audience members, artists, performers, volunteers, and sponsors first.
Given the logistics and work involved in producing the Festival, we had to make a decision sooner rather than later. We have discussed and investigated other options—from moving the date, to moving to an alternate site, to scaling the Festival down. None of the options were satisfactory in allowing us to meet the expectations of artists, participants, and the safety of our community.
“This was an even more difficult decision to make this year than it was last year in the early days of the pandemic” said Renata S. Engel, CPFA board president. “The fact is that as exceptional as our staff and volunteers are, our ability to produce an event of this scale with all of the uncertainty that remains about the pandemic is not possible this year. We have heard from so many of you how important the Festival is to our community and that you want it to return to the streets of State College and on our Penn State campus. And we want that too. We’re committed to making that happen in the future and creating a virtual festival this year. Our enthusiasm for the arts and their important role in our community has only strengthened during this pandemic.”
Festival staff will turn their attention to presenting artists and musicians in a virtual festival in early July. As events for the online experience are scheduled, they will be listed on the Festival’s website at arts-festival.com.
The Festival is the anchor event of a week that includes Heritage Days in Philipsburg and the Peoples Choice Festival in Boalsburg. Heritage Days announced its cancelation concurrently with that of the Festival.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts also produces First Night State College each year on December 31. Right now, plans are for the event to return in its traditional form in 2021 with ice sculpture, concerts, performances, and other family-centered activities.
For now, we are grateful to the Borough of State College, Penn State, the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the greater community as well as the thousands of friends, families, Penn Staters, art lovers, volunteers, sponsors, donors and others who join us each summer to experience creativity at its best. We know that you have had to adapt with us, and it hasn’t been easy. We share in your disappointment and appreciate your ongoing support. And we look forward to connecting online this summer and then coming together for a robust in-person Arts Festival when possible.
Founded in 1967 by the State College Chamber of Commerce and Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the Festival attracts approximately 125,000 visitors to the Centre Region each summer and is regarded as one of the nation’s premier events of its kind.
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Commissioners.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its annual banner competition, one of the signature events of the Festival. The banner competition will take place even if the Festival is a virtual event in 2021.
Both individuals and groups may submit entries, which typically hang between 15 and 20 feet over the street. The design must be visible from both sides of the banner (identical or different). All components of the banner design and construction must be securely attached, or the banner will not be displayed. Banners with religious, partisan, or commercial messages will not be accepted. The Festival encourages local non-profit organizations to create banners celebrating their organization.
The members of the banner jury will be announced at a later date. The jurors will award prizes in three categories: professional, general, and youth.
Banners entered in the competition must be delivered to the office of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts by 5:00 p.m., June 18, 2021.
More information may be found online at https://arts-festival.com/banners.
The 55th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 7 through July 11. Watch for more information about whether the Festival will be an in-person or virtual event.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its popular juried fine art exhibition, Images 2021. Images 2021 will be an online exhibition due to the ongoing coronavirus uncertainty. Work eligible for exhibition in this show includes drawings, paintings, mixed media, photography, hand-pulled prints, watercolors, fiber, paper, and digital art.
The juror for Images 2021 is Betsey Batchelor. Ms. Batchelor is an artist and teacher who lives and works in Philadelphia, and is also Associate Professor at Arcadia University heading the area of Painting and Drawing.
Her work has been shown at the Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia, Dartmouth College, Swarthmore College, Arcadia University, and the Jessica Berwind Gallery, Jeffrey Fuller Fine Art, and the Matthews Hamilton Gallery in Philadelphia. She is the recipient of grants from both the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. Ms. Batchelor is a MacDowell Colony Fellow.
Images 2021 is open to artists whose primary residence is in Pennsylvania. Digital images of original work produced within the last three years may be submitted. Both adults and enrolled students from ages 16 through 26 are encouraged to apply to the online exhibition.
Artists will be eligible for at least $1,800 in prizes awarded by the juror. There will be merit awards, a Best of Show, and awards for best pastel, best drawing, best photograph, and best student submission.
The application may be found online at http://arts-festival.com/images-juried-exhibition. The entry deadline is June 4.
The 55th Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 7 through July 11. Watch for more information about whether the Festival will be an in-person or virtual event.
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announced the prize winners in Putting on the Glitz, its holiday decorations contest, presented as a part of the Festival’s December to Remember online event.
The winner of first place in the traditional class is the home of Richard Carson, 126 S. Thomas Street, Bellefonte. The second-place winner is the home of David and Jim Frego-Bliek, 130 Aspen Drive, Boalsburg. The first-place win carries a cash award of $100 and second place $50.
The home of Jimmy and Sheri Vuccolo, 1231 Shamrock Avenue, State College, won an honorable mention for its “Wow Factor”.
In the contemporary class, the top prize winner is the home of Daniel Forster, 3051 West Whitehall Road, Pennsylvania Furnace, while second place is the home of Pat Allegrucci, 282 Varsity Lane, State College. The first-place win carries a cash award of $100 and second place $50.
The home of the Esposito family, 1659 Circleville Road, State College won an honorable mention for a display that “brings out the inner child in all of us”.
“This was a fun event to judge, especially in this difficult year of very little fun. I want to thank the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts for sponsoring the event, and the contestants for their participation and creativity. I was bowled over by the joy of all of the entries–I hope this becomes an annual event!” noted contest judge Pamela Ruest. Ruest is President Judge of the Centre County Court of Common Pleas and a former board president of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.
In addition to Ruest, the judges for the event were: Keith Bierly, Owner, Forefathers Book Shop, Rebersburg; Rebecca Inlow, Board Member, Rowland Theatre, Philipsburg; Fritz Smith, Executive Director, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, State College; and Mary Sorenson, Executive Director, Centre County Historical Society, State College.
A December to Remember is being produced by The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts in place of First Night State College which has been canceled this year. The event includes an artists’ market, an online gallery exhibition, live-streamed and on demand performances, instructional videos, family activities and more.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
First Night State College, produced by the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has been celebrated in downtown State College annually since 1995. It is not being held this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announced a holiday decorations contest as part of its new online event, A December to Remember, held in place of First Night State College. The contest, called “Putting on the Glitz” celebrates the variety of ways in which we decorate our homes for the holidays.
Any residential property in Centre County is eligible: single family homes, duplexes, even apartment balconies. The decorations must be visible from the street or sidewalk. Groups of homes are also eligible, as long as the properties adjoin. The entry fee is $10 for a single home and $20 for a group of homes. The entry deadline is December 11, 2020.
A panel of five judges will select the contest winners. They will visit the entries separately and will meet online to select the winners and award prizes. The judges are:
Keith Bierly, Owner, Forefathers Book Shop, Rebersburg
Rebecca Inlow, Board Member, Rowland Theatre, Philipsburg
The Hon. Pamela Ruest, President Judge, Centre County Court of Common Pleas, Bellefonte
Fritz Smith, Executive Director, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, State College
Mary Sorenson, Executive Director, Centre County Historical Society, State College
The judges will award prizes in two categories—for traditional and contemporary decorations. In addition to winners, runners up, and honorable mentions, the judges, at their discretion, will award prizes for Best Use of Color, Best Use of Technology, Best Use of Traditional Materials, and Overall “Wow” Factor. The top prize in each category will be $100.
“This year, we’re not producing First Night State College for the first time since 1995. And so many other holiday events have been canceled as well,” said festival director Rick Bryant. “We’re taking something so many of us do, decorating our homes for the holidays, and celebrating that. There are tons of creative folks in in all parts of the county.”
Full details of the event can be found at: https://www.arts-festival.com/holiday-lights
First Night State College, produced by the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has been celebrated in downtown State College annually since 1995. It is not being held this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
With regret, the Board of Directors of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announces the cancellation of 2021 First Night State College due to public health concerns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was made after consultation with officials at the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Borough of State College.
This is the first time since 1995 that First Night State College will not take place.
Produced by the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, First Night State College featured performances in local churches and public buildings, ice sculpture, ice skating, children’s art and craft workshops and a 5K resolution run.
Festival staff will turn its attention to presenting artists and musicians in a virtual event called A December to Remember, which will take place from late November until shortly before Christmas. It will feature an online artists’ market, performances, art projects for youngsters and other events. As any events for the “virtual festival” are scheduled, they will be listed on the Festival’s website, arts-festival.com.
“Our community continues to demonstrate resilience and we share that spirit at our organization,” said CPFA Board President Renata Engel. “We understand that, in the past, First Night has represented a look toward the future and that’s why we feel the same disappointment as each of you with this year’s situation.”
“Instead, we’re inviting members of our community to join with us for a December to Remember in a variety of virtual events as we continue to support each other. Staff and volunteers already are creating events and activities that will kick off in November to spark your imagination and bring us together in spirit and online! We’ll draw on the creativity and collaboration that are central to our mission. And we’ll stay steadfast in our commitment to providing the memorable experiences our community looks forward to during this special time of year.”
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announced $1,900 in awards for Images 2020, the Festival’s annual juried exhibition of fine art. The award decisions were made by the show’s juror Emily Burns, an artist, designer, and curator who is currently an assistant professor of Graphic Design at The Pennsylvania State University.
The Best in Show was awarded to Kelly Green of State College for her oil painting, Adeline. This award was sponsored by the State College Framing Company & Gallery.
“It was an honor and a pleasure to curate the Images 2020 Exhibition”, said juror Emily Burns.
“2020 has proven to be a tumultuous year—which required so many people around the world to pivot and respond to the pandemic. The quarantine made it impossible to hang this exhibition in person and to view the work in real life. While I wish that I could see all of the incredible work up close, I am thrilled that so many artists (a record for this exhibition) chose to participate and share their inspiring work with us. In the arts, I have seen tremendous ingenuity as artists, galleries, curators, collectors and enthusiasts have engineered new and creative ways of engaging with art and providing opportunities for artists, whose voices are so important—particularly in trying times.”
Sixty-two pieces were chosen by Burns from the 357 pieces submitted from across Pennsylvania.
The William D. Davis Award was awarded to Deena Ultman of State College, for her charcoal on paper, The World Beneath. The Davis Award is sponsored by the Sturtz-Davis Family in William’s memory.
The Central Pennsylvania Pastel Society sponsored an award for Best Pastel to draw more attention to the pastel medium. The Best Pastel Award was presented to William Sweeney of Garnet Valley for his pastel, High Mass.
A new award sponsored by the State College Photo Club for Best Photograph was awarded to R Thomas Berner of Bellefonte for his photo, Spring Creek.
The following works were chosen as Award of Merit winners.
Dreamscape with Rabbit Anni Matsick, State College
Rob-In-Hood Nimrat Sandhu, Malvern
By the Time the Hemlock Grows in, the Bases Will Be Empty Sophie Najjar, Philadelphia
Icy Barn Denise Wagner, Pennsylvania Furnace
The Awards of Merit were sponsored by Garbrick Shadle Insurance Agency, Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, and Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania.
The Schlow Library Foundation also sponsored an award for Best Student Submission. That award was given to Domenic Feola of Exton for his work Griffin.
At the end of the show, a Viewers’ Choice Award was chosen by ballots cast by exhibition visitors online. This year’s prize is sponsored by Joyce Robinson & Norman Spivey and was won by Deanna Gillespie of Spring Mills for her acrylic Magic.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. The Arts Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional funding is provided through a grant made possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
While this summer’s Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be taking place in the “virtual” world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Festival organizers have kept the tradition of issuing a collectible Festival poster.
The 24” by 36” poster, sponsored by Penn State Health, was designed by longtime Festival poster designer Lanny Sommese and his daughter Saige. In a subtle nod to a summer without a festival, most of the images found in the typical festival poster—the Festival jester, references to art, music, and theatre, are missing. Instead, a simple sunrise, rising over a stylized Happy Valley landscape, symbolizes optimism and hope for better days in the future.
“When we were discussing canceling this summer’s Festival, we felt it was important to continue the tradition of the real Festival poster. Instead of referencing downtown State College and the Penn State campus, the poster’s text says “happening wherever you are”, noted Festival executive director, Rick Bryant.
The poster is free and can be picked up at several local businesses, including:
-Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
403 S. Allen Street, Suite 205A, State College
-Downtown State College Improvement District
127 S. Fraser Street, State College
-State College Framing Company and Gallery
160 Rolling Ridge Drive, State College
-The Makery
209 W. Calder Way, State College
-Art a la Carte
107 S. Allegheny Street, Bellefonte
-Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau
One West Market Street, Lewistown
After July 12, any remaining posters will be available for sale on the Festival’s website.
Poster designer Lanny Sommese is emeritus Professor of Graphic Design at Penn State. Saige Sommese is a 2018 graduate of Penn State’s graphic design program and is the principal in her own design firm. For over 40 years, the elder Sommese has designed the colorful posters for the Arts Festival. The entire collection is on display in Penn State’s HUB-Robeson Center.
The Festival is made possible by grant support from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Centre County Commissioners. The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The festival will take place from July 9 to July 12 on the Festival’s website, arts-festival.com.
Friendship bracelets—lengths of braided or twisted colored string—are a fun reminder of summer. In any given year, lots of young people would have made the bracelets to sell in Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts’ Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale. Festival organizers would like to continue that tradition—with a twist—as a part of this summer’s virtual Arts Festival.
In a project called “Tying Us Together” Festival organizers are calling for people to make friendship bracelets between now and July, sharing some with their friends and donating the remainder to the Festival.
Festival organizers will sell them at local retailers to support this year’s virtual arts festival. Their goal is to collect 10,000 bracelets.
“Each friendship bracelet is as unique as the person who made it”, noted Festival Executive Director Rick Bryant. “They also remind us of how valuable our friends are—something important to remember while we fight COVID-19. While you can make a bracelet by yourself, it’s difficult to tie it on your own wrist. Having a friend do that makes life so much easier.”
The Festival has partnered with The Makery in downtown State College in this project. The Makery’s staff created simple instructions and created a how-to video now posted on YouTube.
While to make this project a success, people will have to use their own supplies, the Festival is priming the pump by making a limited number of kits of embroidery floss and instructions. The kits are free and can be picked up at the following locations:
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, 403 S. Allen St., Suite 205A, State College
The Makery, 209 W Calder Way, State College
State College Framing Company & Gallery, 160 Rolling Ridge Dr., State College
Art a la Carte, 107 S. Allegheny St., Bellefonte
In addition to the goal of creating and selling 10,000 bracelets, the Festival would like to collect photos of people wearing them in all fifty states.
As an incentive to participate, people who donate at least five bracelets to the Festival, or submit a photo of someone wearing one, will be entered into a drawing for one of four $50 Downtown State College Gift Cards. Full details can be found on the Festival’s website, arts-festival.com.
Founded in 1967 by the State College Chamber of Commerce and Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the Festival attracts approximately 125,000 visitors to the Centre Region each summer. This is the first year since the event’s founding that it has been canceled or postponed.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
With deep regret, the Board of Directors of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announces the cancellation of its July 2020 event due to public health concerns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision was made after consultation with officials at the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Borough of State College, and Penn State.
This is the first time in its 54-year history that the Festival will not take place in July.
Founded in 1967 by the State College Chamber of Commerce and Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture, the Festival attracts approximately 125,000 visitors to the Centre Region each summer and is regarded as one of the nation’s premier events of its kind.
Festival staff will turn its attention to presenting artists and musicians in a “virtual festival” in early July. As any events for the “virtual festival” are scheduled, they will be listed on the Festival’s website, arts-festival.com.
“We’re a resilient organization and community,” said CPFA Board President Renata Engel. “While this is a disappointment at the moment, the Arts Festival team is already turning its focus toward engaging artists, entertainers, and volunteers in new ways during this unprecedented time. Creativity and collaboration are central to our mission, and although it may look and feel a bit different, the Festival will be back. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the memorable experiences our audience looks forward to each year.” Engel also serves as Penn State’s vice provost for online education.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its juried gallery exhibition, Images 2020. Images 2020 will hang in in the Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery and Downsbrough Room of the Schlow Centre Region Library and the Kish Bank Expect More Store during the month of July.
Work eligible for exhibition in the show includes drawings, paintings, mixed media, photography, hand-pulled prints, watercolors, fiber, paper, and digital art.
The works in Images 2020 will be selected by juror Emily Burns.
Ms. Burns is an assistant professor of graphic design at Penn State. Before joining the Penn State faculty, she taught and worked as a professional photographer in New York for more than 10 years. In 2013, she founded Maake Magazine, an independent, artist-run, limited edition print publication and online resource showcasing the work of emerging artists.
Her background in fine arts and practical experience in painting, illustration, and photography brings an interdisciplinary approach to her work.
Images 2020 is open to artists whose primary residence is in Pennsylvania. Digital images of original work produced within the last three years may be submitted. Both adults and enrolled students from ages 16 through 26 may apply to the exhibition. The application deadline is
May 8, 2020.
Artists will be eligible for at least $1,900 in prizes awarded by Ms. Burns. In addition to the Best of Show and Awards of Merit, there will be awards for Best Pastel, Best Drawing, and Best Student Submission.
The application may be found online at arts-festival.com/images-juried-exhibition.
The fifty-fourth Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 8 through July 12 on the streets of State College and on the adjacent campus of Penn State. Children and Youth Day is July 8, and the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition opens on July 9 and continues through July 12.
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its annual banner competition, one of the signature events of the Festival. The Festival has hung banners over South Allen Street since the first Festival in 1967, adding color and movement to the festive atmosphere.
Both individuals and groups may submit entries, which will hang between 15 and 20 feet over the street. The design must be visible from both sides of the banner (identical or different). All components of the banner design and construction must be securely attached, or the banner will not be displayed. Banners with religious, partisan, or commercial messages will not be accepted. The Festival encourages local non-profit organizations to create banners celebrating their organization.
The members of the banner jury will be announced at a later date. The jurors will award prizes in three categories: professional, general, and youth.
Banners entered in the competition must be delivered to the office of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts by 5:00 p.m., June 19, 2020. Banner Competition winners will be announced Saturday, July 11, 2020 at the Sidewalk Sale Awards Ceremony, at 9:00 a.m. on the Allen Street Stage.
More information may be found online at arts-festival.com/banners.
The fifty-fourth Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 8 through July 12 on the streets of State College and on the adjacent campus of Penn State. Children and Youth Day is July 8, and the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition opens on July 9 and continues through July 12.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale, a signature event of the Children’s Day Activities of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.
The 2020 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 8 through July 12 on the streets of State College and on the adjacent campus of Penn State. The Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale will be held on South Allen Street, on Children and Youth Day, Wednesday,
July 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale is a fun way for children to sell original artwork that they have made and perhaps earn some money in the process.
Children from ages 8 to 18 who live in, or who have relatives in, Centre, Blair, Clearfield, Clinton, Huntingdon, Mifflin or Union counties are eligible to participate in the Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale. The event is subject to simple rules. For example, each artist must make his or her own work. Items made from kits are not permitted. The complete list of rules can be found in the Call for Entries.
There is a $25.00 entry fee. The application postmark deadline is June 19, 2020. Applications postmarked after that date will not be considered. Applications may be delivered to the Festival offices at 403 South Allen Street, Suite 205A, State College until 5:00 PM on Friday, June 19, 2020.
Applications may now be downloaded at arts-festival.com/children-and-youth.
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Officials and sponsors of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts presented over $17,000 in prizes for its 2019 Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition, on Saturday July 13, at 9:00 a.m. during an award ceremony on the Arts Festival’s Allen Street stage.
Sidewalk Sale Coordinator Pam Lautsch emceed the brief and informal awards ceremony, assisted by Rick Bryant, the Festival’s Executive Director. Special guest, State Senator Judy Ward (R-30), a member of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, assisted in presenting the awards.
Ceramicist Paveen “Beer” Chunhaswasdikul of Gadsden, AL received the Arete Best of Show Award. The award was presented by former Festival board president Linda Gall to Mr. Chunhaswasdikul. The award is funded by an endowment at the Centre Foundation created by Ms. Gall and her husband Blake. The award carries a cash prize of $2,800.
The Fine Arts Award, worth $1,750, was given to jewelers Danielle and Chris Merzatta of Mount Tabor, NJ.
The John C. Mason Award for Excellence in Jewelry Design was presented to Victoria Varga and Daniel Brouder of Cumberland Foreside, ME. This award carries a cash prize of $825.
Other exhibitors receiving Awards of Excellence were:
Athlone Clarke, Douglasville, GA (Mixed Media- 2D)
Honey Jaffe Memorial Award: Marie-Helene Grabman, Fort Mill, SC (Paper)
Mitch Lyons Memorial Award: Sangjoon Park, Highland Mills, NY (Ceramic)
The following exhibitors received Awards of Distinction, worth $700:
Noelia Torres Romero, Cary, NC (Leather)
Z.L. Feng, Radford, VA (Watercolor)
Duff Family Award of Distinction: Karen Hibbs, New Haven, CT (Glass)
Pam Ruest and Jeff Jones Award of Distinction: Patricia Wilder, Victor, NY (Photography)
Receiving Awards of Merit, worth $550 were:
John McCarthy Award of Merit in Wearable Fiber in Memory of Sharon McCarthy: Nanako Miller, New York, NY
Shuey Family Award of Merit in memory of Naomi Shuey: Kristin Moger, Gap, PA (Drawing)
Bob & Ginny Mountz Award of Merit: Laura Wilder, Rochester, NY (Printmaking)
Susan & Lewis Steinberg Award of Merit: Timm Chapman, Apache Junction, AZ (Photography)
Tom & Kristen Coombs Award of Merit: Maryann Schmidt, Galway, NY (Painting)
Aaron T. Roan, DMD & Associates Award of Merit: Tom Horn, Emmaus, PA (Mixed Media- 3D)
Anne Layng Award of Merit: Tomas Savrda, Kent, CT (Mixed Media- 3D)
Rapid Transit Sports Award of Merit: David Benyosef, Somerville, MA (Glass)
Connections Clothing Award of Merit: Astou Dioum, New York, NY (Basketry)
Towne Centre One Award of Merit: Samantha Skelton, Pittsburgh, PA (Jewelry)
William Alburger, Barto, PA (Wood)
Debra Adelson, Collingswood, NJ (Jewelry)
The Frost & Conn, Inc. Booth of Distinction Award was presented to Sheko Kirby (Jewelry), Booth B-15. This award is carries a $250 prize.
The jurors for this year’s event were Brienne Brown, Julian, PA; Brian Giniewski, Philadelphia, PA; Pat Little, Philipsburg, PA; Lynette Santoro-Au, Columbus, OH; and James Thurman, Denton, TX.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional funding is provided through a grant made by the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announced the award winners in its 2019 Banner Competition at its annual award ceremony on the Festival’s Allen Street stage on Saturday, July 13 at 9:00 a.m.
Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts Executive Director Rick Bryant made the presentations with State Senator Judy Ward, a member of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
In the professional class, Joanie Eyster of State College took first place for her acrylic paint work, A Tail of Two Sixties. Marty Edmunds of Boalsburg took the second spot for her rainwear faboric applique with vinyl banner, In the Age of Robots, Meet Robojester.
In the general class, Teresa Jacobs of Lock Haven made the winning banner, Bright Sunflowers. Suhrudwamsi Musunuri of University Park received second place with her piece, Celebrating Art.
This year’s banner judges were Laura Robinson and Cindy Schultz of State College. The event is chaired by Lisa Zander-Campbell of Centre Hall.
The banner exhibition is sponsored by FirstEnergy Foundation.
Juror Cindy Schultz commented, “The banners this year were a great selection and it was hard to choose between them. The most colorful choices caught my eye.”
The Banner Competition is one of the signature events of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Both individuals and groups may submit entries. The Festival hangs this year’s banners and those from its collection over South Allen Street, adding color and movement to the festive atmosphere.
This year, in addition to the banners hanging over South Allen Street, the Festival hung banners in the State College Municipal Building and the HUB/Robeson Center on Penn State’s campus.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Additional funding is provided through a grant made by the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announced $1,900 in awards for Images 2019, the Festival’s annual juried exhibition of fine art. The award decisions were made by the show’s juror, Shannon Egan, Director of the Schmucker Art Gallery at Gettysburg College.
The Best in Show was awarded to Nancy Burch Brassington of Bellefonte, PA for her oil painting, Looking Down on Willowbank Street.
Fifty-nine pieces were chosen by Egan from the 334 pieces submitted from across Pennsylvania.
The William D. Davis Award was awarded to Kelly Green of State College, PA for her drawing, Katherine. The Davis Award is sponsored by the Sturtz-Davis Family in William’s memory.
The Central Pennsylvania Pastel Society sponsored an award for Best Pastel to draw more attention to the pastel medium. The Best Pastel Award was presented to William Sweeny of Garnet Valley, PA for his pastel, A View from the Pond at Dawn.
The following works were chosen as Award of Merit winners.
Submerged
Susan Parsonage, State College, PA
The Perfect Spot
Christie Biber, Pittsburgh, PA
Looking Through the Window
Mary Eileen Carson, Harrisburg, PA
Portal
Gloria Plosky Scaltz, State College, PA
The Awards of Merit were sponsored by Gabrick Shadle Insurance Agency; the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania; the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County; and the State College Framing Company & Gallery.
The Schlow Library Foundation sponsored the Best Student Submission Award. This award was presented to Alyssa Brown of Philadelphia, PA for her oil painting, Red Creek Trail.
In addition to the prize decisions made by the juror, the Viewers’ Choice Award will be chosen by ballots cast by exhibition visitors. This year’s prize is sponsored by Joyce Robinson & Norman Spivey.
Images 2019 will hang in the Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery in Schlow Library and the Kish Bank Expect More Store during the month of July.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors’ Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
The 53rd annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will take place Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14 on the streets of downtown State College and the adjacent Penn State campus.
The Festival features the nationally recognized Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition, a juried gallery exhibition, Children and Youth Day, Street Painting, educational opportunities, music, dance and theatrical performances in a variety of outdoor and indoor venues.
The 2019 Arts Festival commences with Children and Youth Day on Wednesday, July 10, which features programs and events designed especially for the young and young at heart. From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. the Children & Youth Sidewalk Sale, sponsored by Penn State Federal Credit Union, will be held on South Allen Street. More than 250 young Central Pennsylvania artists are expected to showcase their original works.
Other Children and Youth Day activities include free arts and crafts activities on Penn State’s Old Main Lawn and in State College’s Sidney Friedman Park. Musical and dance performances tailored to the young will take place on two stages thanks to local student ensembles and performing arts schools. However, for some, the highlight of the day will come at 4:00 p.m. with the 2019 Centre Daily Times Children and Youth Day Grand Procession. Over 300 children (accompanied by some parents) will carry small, medium and large papier-mâché puppets, masks and drums. The procession will begin on the Old Main Lawn and travel through downtown State College as it makes its way to Sidney Friedman Park.
The Pat Farrell Community Sing Along will be on Wednesday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the State College Presbyterian Church. Young and old, those who can sing, and especially those who can’t, are invited to join Russell Bloom, Erik Clayton, and Leah Mueller as the community comes together to make some joyful noise. CPFA Performance Button Required
On Thursday, July 11, at 10:00 a.m. the award-winning Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition will open. Sidewalk Sale hours are 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. The works of more than 300 exhibitors comprise one of the nation’s best juried fine art and craft shows. A panel of five jurors will award over $17,500 in prize money to winning exhibitors during a ceremony at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 13, at the Allen Street Stage.
The 2019 Street Painting exhibition recognizes the cross-border popularity of street painting among Italy, England, and Germany. Due to the construction project on the former Garner Street parking lot, this year our street painters will be working on Foster Avenue at South Allen Street. A variety of local visual artists will create 6-foot by 4-foot paintings. For a $5 fee, Young Artists Alley gives children the opportunity to create a 14”x 14” square street painting. Painting ends at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday, weather permitting.
The public is invited to celebrate the 53rd Festival by purchasing tickets to the Festive Spirits benefit party, which will be held at The Towers, 403 South Allen Street, on Friday, July 12, at 5:00 p.m. Bellefonte’s Big Spring Spirits will provide locally sourced spirits, with hors d’oeuvres by Catering with Style. Tickets to the party can be purchased by calling the Arts Festival office or by visiting arts-festival.com/festive-spirits-party.
The Festival’s fine art exhibition, Images 2019, will hang in Schlow Centre Region Library’s Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery, 211 S. Allen Street, and Kish Bank Expect More Store, 114 S. Allen Street, during the month of July. Images 2019 is open to artists whose primary residence is in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The works in Images have been selected by juror Dr. Shannon Egan, director of Schmucker Art Gallery at Gettysburg College.
The 11th annual BookFest will take place on Saturday, July 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m in the BookFest tent, located in the library’s parking lot. Caricature artist Seth Young will be on hand to draw your likeness and capture your personality on paper. This year more than twenty different authors will be meeting fans and signing books in the BookFest tent. For more information go to arts-festival.com/bookfest.
Experience Harold Lloyd’s silent film, The Kid Brother, accompanied by a virtual theatre organ, an instrument developed by accompanist Ben Model. The virtual theatre organ uses an assemblage of keyboards and digital technologies to bring movies by Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to twenty-first century theatres. Ben Model performs in The State Theatre on Friday, July 12 at 8:30 p.m. CPFA Performance Button Required
The acoustic-duo Ryanhood got its first break more than a decade ago as street-performers at Boston’s Quincy Market. It was there that they were spotted by a college booking agent and thrust into the college touring scene. They’ve since gone on to perform more than 1000 shows in 45 U.S. States over the past decade. Come out to the State College Presbyterian Church on Saturday, July 13 at 8:00 p.m. to catch their performance. CPFA Performance Button Required
Poor Man’s Gambit is a trio of traditional artists comprised of Corey Purcell, Federico Betti, and Deirdre Lockman. Building on their roots as traditional Irish musicians, the trio’s repertoire is also influenced by traditional music of other cultures including France, Scotland, England, and America. Poor Man’s Gambit will perform at the State College Presbyterian Church on Thursday, July 12 at 8:00 p.m. CPFA Performance Button Required
Greg Warren, most recently seen on Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Show, and Comedy Central Presents, has built a strong fan base with an act inspired by his Midwestern upbringing. An honest mix of self-deprecation, frustration, and an arsenal of lifelike characters highlight Greg’s colorful perspective. Greg hails from St. Louis, where his father was a high school wrestling coach and his mother made him play clarinet in the band. He has captivated audiences with anecdotes about the conflict inherent in meshing the two disparate high school identities of varsity wrestler and band geek. Greg will bring his comedy act to the State Theatre on Friday, July 12 at 10:00 p.m. A ticket is required for this performance.
RPR is a band of contrasts, subtleties, humor, and the agility to go from full rampage to whisper in a heartbeat. The band brings a rare combination of poignancy and personality to the stage, crafting shows with tuneful music, touching stories, laughter, and astonishing vocal harmonies. Rob Ritchie, Al Parish, and Steve Ritchie were around when Tanglefoot won Best Vocal Group at the 2007 Canadian Folk Music Awards. Check out their performance on Saturday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m. on the Festival Shell Stage.
While most performances are free, some require a festival button. Buttons cost $10.00 for adults and are free for children ages twelve and under. They are good for the entire festival, and grant admission on a space available basis to selected indoor events. Buttons are available at each performance venue, at many locations on the Festival route, and in downtown State College stores.
The Nittany Valley Running Club’s 44th annual Sue Crowe Memorial Arts Festival Races will take place Sunday, July 14, starting at 8:15 a.m. The event comes in 5K & 10K distances. The Kids’ Fun Runs will start at 10:00 a.m. with distances of a quarter mile through a half mile for kids ages 12 and under. The Arts Festival Races are sponsored by Penn State Health. For registration and additional race information, please visit nvrun.com.
Leave parking and traffic worries to others by parking in the Jordan East parking lot, next to the Bryce Jordan Center and Beaver Stadium. For $5.00 a car, visitors may park and take a free bus operated by the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA). The bus will stop in the Festival zone at the corner of College and Hiester, with a second stop at the corner of College Avenue and South Allen Street.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Additional funding is provided through a grant made by possible by the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors’ Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has released its 2019 collectible poster. The 24” by 36” poster features a picture within picture of the Festival jester in a harlequin suit of bright yellow and red triangles. An image of the jester’s feet, in ballet slippers rests on the easel. Collage elements representing art and music—among them a banjo, a paintbrush, scissors, and a harp—float in space in the artist’s studio—which opens onto a landscape with balloons floating in the distance.
The poster is free and can be picked up at several local businesses, including:
-Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
403 S. Allen Street, Suite 205A, State College
-Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau
800 E. Park Avenue, State College
-Downtown State College Improvement District
127 S. Fraser Street, State College
-State College Framing Company and Gallery
160 Rolling Ridge Drive, State College
-HUB-Robeson Center Desk, Penn State Campus
-Hintz Family Alumni Center, Penn State Campus
-Penn State Federal Credit Union
1937 North Atherton Street, State College
-Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau
One West Market Street, Lewistown
The poster for the 2019 festival was designed by emeritus Professor of Graphic Design at Penn State, Lanny Sommese, in collaboration with his daughter, Saige, a 2018 graduate of Penn State’s graphic design program. For over 40 years, the elder Sommese has designed the colorful posters for the Arts Festival.
This year’s poster is sponsored by a partnership between Highmark and Penn State Health.
The Festival poster is also made possible by grant support from the Centre County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau and Centre County Commissioners. The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The festival will take place from July 10 to July 14 in downtown State College and on Penn State’s campus. Children and Youth Day is July 10 and the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition opens on July 11.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its juried gallery exhibition, Images 2019. Images 2019 will hang in in the Betsy Rodgers Allen Gallery and Downsbrough Room of the Schlow Centre Region Library during the month of July.
Work eligible for exhibition in the show includes drawings, paintings, mixed media, photography, hand-pulled prints, watercolors, fiber, and paper.
The works in Images 2019 will be selected by juror Shannon Egan.
Dr. Egan is the director of the Schmucker Art Gallery at Gettysburg College, where she curates exhibitions of contemporary and historical art. She has received research fellowships from the ACLS/Terra Foundation for the Arts, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Center for the Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art. In addition to her curatorial work, Dr. Egan teaches courses on contemporary art, the history and theory of photography, twentieth-century European art, and art and public policy.
Images 2019 is open to artists whose primary residence is in Pennsylvania. Digital images of original work produced within the last three years may be submitted. Both adults and enrolled students from ages 16 through 26 may apply to the exhibition. The application deadline is May 3, 2019.
Artists will be eligible for at least $1,500 in prizes awarded by Dr. Egan. There will be awards for best pastel, best drawing, and best student submission.
The application may be found online here.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 10 through July 14 on the streets of State College and on the adjacent campus of Penn State. Children and Youth Day is July 10, and the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition opens on July 11 and continues through July 14.
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its annual banner competition, one of the signature events of the Festival. The Festival has hung banners over South Allen Street since the first Festival in 1967, adding color and movement to the festive atmosphere.
Both individuals and groups may submit entries, which will hang between 15 and 20 feet over the street. The design must be visible from both sides of the banner (identical or different). All components of the banner design and construction must be securely attached, or the banner will not be displayed. Banners with religious, partisan, or commercial messages will not be accepted. The Festival encourages banners that Banners commemorate community organizations.
The members of the banner jury will be announced at a later date. The jurors will award prizes in three categories: professional, general, and youth.
Banners entered in the competition must be delivered to the office of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts by 5:00 p.m., June 21, 2019. Banner Competition winners will be announced Saturday, July 13, 2019 at the Sidewalk Sale Awards Ceremony, at 9:00 a.m. on the Allen Street Stage.
More information may be found online here.
The fifty-second Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 10 through July 14 on the streets of State College and on the adjacent campus of Penn State. Children and Youth Day is July 10, and the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition opens on July 11 and continues through July 14.
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts has issued the Call for Entries for its Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale, a signature event of the Children’s Day Activities of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.
The 2018 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will be from July 10 through July 14 on the streets of State College and on the adjacent campus of Penn State. The Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale will be held on South Allen Street, on Children and Youth Day, Wednesday, July 10 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale is a fun way for children to sell original artwork that they have made and perhaps earn some money in the process.
Children from ages 8 to 18 who live in, or who have relatives in Centre, Blair, Clearfield, Clinton, Huntingdon, Mifflin or Union are eligible to participate in the Children’s Sidewalk Sale. The Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale is subject to very simple rules. For example, each artist must make his or her own work. Items made from kits are not permitted.
There is a $24.00 entry fee. The application postmark deadline is June 21, 2019. Applications postmarked after that date will not be considered. Applications may be delivered to the Festival offices at 403 South Allen Street, Suite 205A, State College until 5:00 PM on Friday, June 21, 2019.
Applications may now be downloaded at arts-festival.com/children-and-youth
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Children and Youth Sidewalk Sale is sponsored by the Penn State Federal Credit Union, www.pennstatefederal.com.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts elected new officers and members of the board of directors at its annual meeting on January 15, 2019.
The new officers are: Bob Hicks, board president; Yvonne Gaudelius, vice-president; Kristen Coombs, treasurer, and Kathleen Raupach, secretary.
Bob Hicks is CEO of Persea Naturals LLC and is the minister at Upper Spruce Creek Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania Furnace. Gaudelius is associate vice president and senior associate dean for undergraduate education at Penn State. Coombs is a financial advisor with Kristen Coombs Financial Advisors. Raupach is an instructor in Penn State’s Recreation, Park, and Tourism program.
Heidi Nicholas of State College was elected to a three-year term on the board. Since 2001, she has been a principal in Nicholas Enterprises, a State College based firm that engages in the development and management of commercial and multi-tenant residential real estate. She holds degrees in fine arts from the University of California at Los Angeles and completed her graduate education at Cornell.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts was founded in 1967 by the State College Chamber of Commerce and Penn State University’s College of Arts and Architecture. It now encompasses five days of visual and performing arts programming. Approximately 125,000 people visit the Festival each summer, and the Festival is considered to be a quintessential part of the Penn State student and alumni experience.
In addition to producing the summer festival, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts also produces First Night State College, an alcohol-free, family-oriented New Year’s festival.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
The Festival receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
Visit our online store to buy Festival t-shirts, posters, friendship bracelets and our special jigsaw puzzle.
