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.
New Year’s resolutions just got easier with First Night State College’s Healthy Resolutions partnership with Mount Nittany Health.
For a unique and festive twist on the New Year’s revelry, First Night State College is offering fun for the whole family and a celebration of the arts. First Night State College, located in the heart of downtown State College, is a production of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and is a great way to get a healthy start on the New Year.
“It is with great pleasure that we announce this year’s Healthy Resolutions partnership with Mount Nittany Health” shares Festival Executive Director, Rick Bryant. “Together we are encouraging the community’s participation in small changes for better health in 2022.”
“Since its inception in 1994, First Night State College has promoted a fun, unique and healthy celebration of the New Year’s holiday,” noted Bryant. “Mount Nittany Health wants to encourage New Year’s resolutions that support health and wellness by making small, but meaningful, changes. For tips on how to reduce stress, switch to healthier beverages, and incorporate movement into your daily routine, stop by the Mount Nittany Health Booth at First Night or visit firstnightstatecollege.com/healthy-resolutions.”
“Mount Nittany Health is pleased to sponsor Healthy Resolutions at First Night,” says Kathleen Rhine, president and CEO, Mount Nittany Health. “This event is a wonderful example of our mission, Healthier People. Stronger Community, in action. We look forward to celebrating the New Year in this fun, healthy way, and adopting new health and wellness resolutions alongside our community.”
“On behalf of the providers and staff of Mount Nittany Health, I would be remiss if I didn’t stress that our community is still experiencing high levels of COVID-19 transmission and that the impact on our health system has been great. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated and celebrate safely by wearing a mask, social distancing and practicing good hand hygiene.”
Join Mount Nittany Health at the Mayor Welch Plaza outside the State College Borough building and warm up station where, Mount Nittany Health representatives will be on hand to help revelers write down their healthy resolutions for 2022. “Inside the lobby, people will be able to tie their personal, handwritten healthy resolutions to the tail of a rising First Night Phoenix, one of our most popular Resolutions Sculptures,” said Rick Bryant. “The flaming, fiery Phoenix represents rebirth by continually emerging from its own ashes to live again.”
Learn more about making Healthy Resolutions a part of your start to a brand-new year at https://firstnightstatecollege.com/healthy-resolutions/.
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First Night State College is produced by the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and is sponsored in part by the Borough of State College with grant support from the Centre County Commissioners and Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. 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.
Mount Nittany Health, a modern comprehensive healthcare system located in State College, Pennsylvania, consists of Mount Nittany Medical Center, a 260-bed acute care facility; Mount Nittany Physician Group with a staff of more than 170 providers who offer primary and specialty care services in 16 locations in six counties throughout central Pennsylvania; the Children’s Advocacy Center that provides support for children affected by abuse; and the Mount Nittany Health Foundation that raises money for much needed programs, technology, and facilities to benefit the community. In addition to providing high quality care, Mount Nittany Health strives to improve the health and wellness of its community through education programs, events and health screenings. Visit mountnittany.org to learn more about Mount Nittany Health’s mission to make people healthier.
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announced the prize winners in its second annual Puttin’ on the Glitz holiday decorations contest, presented as a prequel to this year’s First Night State College.
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 Ashley Stark, 428 N. Spring Street, Bellefonte. The first-place win carries a cash award of $100 and second place $50.
In the contemporary class, the top prize winner is the home of Daniel Forster, 3051 West Whitehall Road, Pennsylvania Furnace. The second-place winner is the home of Katherine Masters, 1251 Barnstable Lane, State College. The home of Jimmy and Sheri Vuccolo, 1231 Shamrock Avenue, received the honorable mention award. The first-place win carries a cash award of $100 and second place $50.
“What a joy-filled way to share to share the holiday season, visiting all the amazing entries and seeing the enthusiasm from the community, noted contest judge Amy Caputo, Communications Manager, Schlow Centre Region Library, State College. “It was a tough assignment—and I hope everyone involved knows how much their participation filled the community’s spirits”
In addition to Caputo, the judges for the event were: Mel Curtis, Director YMCA Anti-Hunger Program, YMCA of Centre County, Philipsburg; Lori Fisher, Deputy Director, Bellefonte Art Museum, Bellefonte; Kelly Hughes, Office Manager, Student Book Store, State College; and Karl Eric Leitzel, Partner, Green Drake Gallery, Millheim.
After an absence of a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, First Night State College will once again provide central Pennsylvania with a great way to mark the passing of the old year and the ringing in of the New Year. This alcohol-free community celebration of the visual and performing arts will take place in downtown State College and on the University Park Campus of Penn State on December 31, 2021.
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 possible by the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and the Centre County Commissioners.
After an absence of a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, First Night State College will once again provide central Pennsylvania with a great way to mark the passing of the old year and the ringing in of the New Year. This alcohol-free community celebration of the visual and performing arts will take place in downtown State College and on the University Park Campus of Penn State on December 31, 2021.
A production of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, 2022 First Night State College is a creative and healthy New Year’s celebration meant to replace watching television and alcohol-fueled New Year’s Eve revelry. First Night is an old-fashioned community celebration where all are welcome; young and old, singles and families, townsfolk and visitors.
2022 First Night State College will feature a display of outdoor ice carving, including large sculptures located in the 100 block of South Allen Street, while the ever-popular PNC Bank Ice Slide will be in Sidney Friedman Park. At the end of the event, the First Night State College ice carving team will have carved over 30,000 pounds of ice! Watch these carvings evolve from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This year, the First Night State College ice carvers will create a wide array of giant ice displays that showcase their artistry.
Displays of smaller, one-block ice sculptures will take place in front of local sponsoring businesses and on the Mayor Welch Plaza at 243 South Allen Street, as well as in Sidney Friedman Park. There will be more than 80 of these sculptures this year. Ice will be on display commencing on the morning of December 31.
Regular attendees will notice some changes in the event this year.
This year’s event will follow the Borough of State College’s mask wearing mandate. Current regulations call for all audience members to wear masks that cover their nose and mouth when inside a performance venue. This rule also covers ice skating at Pegula Arena.
First Night State College welcomes two new performance venues this year, the Blue Brick Theatre and 3 Dots Downtown.
The Blue Brick Theatre, 209 W. Calder Way is home to Happy Valley Improv, which will perform at 2:00, 4:30, 8:30, and 10:30 p.m. The 2:00 p.m. show will highlight Happy Valley Improv’s youth program, while the 10:30 p.m. show may contain adult themes.
3 Dots Downtown, 137 East Beaver Avenue, will host two performance workshops. The first is by Black Cat Belly Dance at 1:00 p.m. The second a songwriting workshop with singer-songwriter Jim Colbert at 7:00 p.m.
First Night State College will present three variety acts this year:
Acrobat Li Liu was born in China and began acrobatic training when she was six years old. Shortly thereafter she was chosen to attend The Chinese National Circus School in Beijing. For many years Ms. Liu traveled extensively throughout Europe, Africa and Asia with The Liaoning Acrobatic Arts Troupe. She has toured America with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus. She performs in the Penn State Downtown Theatre at 4:30, 7:00, and 9:30 p.m.
Born with the gifts of flexibility, curiosity, and goofiness, Jonathan Burns now uses these unique talents to astonish audiences around the globe. Over the course of his career, Jonathan has appeared on America’s Got Talent, Penn & Teller Fool Us, The Late Late Show with James Corden, and many more. He makes a return visit to First Night, performing at The State Theatre at 3:30, 7:30 and 10:00 p.m.
David Darwin presents a one-man sideshow of juggling, comedy and vaudeville with lots of audience participation. A Penn State graduate—Class of 2000 in Journalism—he keeps both adults and kids laughing with his irreverent humor. He’ll be at the State College Municipal Building Community Room at 5:00, 7:00, and 9:30 p.m.
There is something for every musical taste at First Night State College. Brass fans won’t want to miss the Altoona Brass Collective, performing at the State College Presbyterian Church at 2:00 p.m. Bluegrass aficionados will enjoy the Tussey Mountain Moonshiners, performing at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church at 8:30 p.m. Jazz saxophonist Rick Hirsch fronts the Rick Hirsch 5 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 2:30 p.m. More information on these performances and the entire First Night lineup can be found at firstnightstatecollege.com.
Resolution sculptures are located in the lobby of the State College Municipal Building, in Sidney Friedman Park, and on the 100 block of South Allen Street. These installations are meant to provoke wistful recollection of former resolutions and optimistic dreaming about new ones.
Runners and fast walkers can speed into the New Year in the First Night State College 5K Resolution Run, presented with the Nittany Valley Running Club. The run starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Corner of College Avenue and Allen Street and is one of the most popular events of First Night State College. We encourage participants (and spectators) to wear costumes for this bracing trip through downtown State College and the Penn State campus. More information is available online at firstnightstatecollege.com/resolution-run
Those wanting a more theatrical trip through downtown can join in our Grand Procession, starting at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 208 West Foster Avenue, and proceeding up Fraser Street to College Avenue beginning at 6:30 p.m. Participants bring to life a menagerie of large and small papier mache fantastic creatures or join in the fun playing one of our African drums.
Carriage rides will be offered beginning at 7:00 p.m. in front of the State College Municipal Building. The cost is a First Night button and $5 per person. Rides are on a first-come, first-served basis.
First Night presents arts and crafts workshops at The Makery, 123 S Fraser St. and in the Social Hall of State College Presbyterian Church, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. For those who like to be reminded of their resolution throughout the year as they drink their morning coffee, First Night presents The Resolution Mug at 2000 Degrees, 202 W. College Avenue. 2000 Degrees provides almost everything needed to immortalize a New Year’s resolution in ceramics. Audience members provide the missing piece–the creativity! Due to Covid restrictions, same day reservations will need to be made. Stop at 2000 Degrees on December 31 and pick a time for your visit. Admission is a First Night button plus $7.00.
The official warm up station of First Night State College is 3 Dots Downtown, 137 East Beaver Avenue, State College. It will be staffed with friendly volunteers who can answer all of your First Night questions from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. on December 31.
Admission to all indoor performances is with the 2022 First Night State College button. Buttons are $10 and can be purchased at the door of events and select downtown businesses. When accompanied by an adult, children 12 and under are free. First Night State College button retail outlets include: 3 Dots Downtown, 2000 Degrees, Appalachian Outdoors, Art a la Carte, Blue Brick Theatre, Borough of State College Finance Office, The Corner Room, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, The Makery, Otto’s Pub and Brewery, Pegula Ice Arena, Penn State Federal Credit Union, PNC Banks (College, North Atherton and South Atherton Streets) Schlow Centre Region Library, State College Framing Company and Galley, UPS Store (Colonnade Way).
Special button 4-packs are available for $35 through December 24 at these select locations: Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, 201 W Beaver Avenue, and the Penn State Federal Credit Union, 1937 North Atherton Street, State College and 123 Amberleigh Lane, Bellefonte.
Buttons are available online at https://firstnightstatecollege.com/buy-a-button/ through December 17.
First Night relies on volunteers to staff performance venues on December 31. Volunteers should be at least 18 years of age or 16 when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Those interested in volunteering should contact the First Night office by telephone at (814) 237-3682 or by email at office@arts-festival.com.
The 2022 First Night State College Official Program Guide, published by Barash Media is available as an insert in Town & Gown magazine.
First Night State College is produced by the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts and is sponsored in part by the Borough of State College with grant support from the Centre County Commissioners and Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. 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 is now accepting applications in its second annual holiday decorations contest, “Puttin’ on the Glitz”. This year’s contest will take place in conjunction with First Night State College. The contest is sponsored by THe Richards Stover Group at Kissinger Bigatel and Brower realtors.
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, if the properties adjoin. The entry fee is $10 for a single home and $20 for a group of homes. The entry deadline is December 10, 2021.
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:
Amy Caputo, Communications Manager, Schlow Centre Region Library, State College
Mel Curtis, Director YMCA Anti-Hunger Program, YMCA of Centre County, Philipsburg
Lori Fisher, Deputy Director, Bellefonte Museum, Bellefonte
Kelly Hughes, Office Manager, Student Book Store, State College
Karl Eric Leitzel, Partner, Green Drake Gallery, Millheim
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.
“Last year was our first year for this contest”, noted Festival director Rick Bryant. “It was the perfect thing for a socially distanced world—you could drive around in your car and check out the entries. This year since people have seen how much fun it was, we’re hoping for an even stronger response.”
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, returns to downtown State College on December 31.
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.
Awards Announced for Images 2021 Fine Art Exhibition
The public is invited to see the show online
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts announced $1,800 in awards for Images 2021, the Festival’s annual juried exhibition of fine art. The award decisions were made by the show’s juror Betsey Batchelor, 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.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s show is once again an online exhibition. It can be viewed at https://arts-festival.com/images-exhibition-gallery.
The Best in Show was awarded to Stacie Bird of State College, PA for her photograph, Summer Kitchen. This award was sponsored by the State College Framing Company & Gallery.
“I enjoyed having the opportunity to see what people have been doing during this very challenging time with the COVID pandemic, and in a time where in many ways the country is divided”, said juror Betsey Batchelor.
“I saw work that expressed isolation, loneliness, and political upheaval. I saw work that may have served as a respite. As artists we know that art can sometimes save us. We can go into the studio and turn away from the world, and there we can use our work to respond to our experience of the world or create an alternative world. It requires that in some measure we turn inward and spend time within ourselves. For many, this is deeply restorative. There are images of works from the exhibition that I loved and that I carry with me and revisit in my mind. That seems to me to be the power of art!”
Sixty-two pieces were chosen by Batchelor from the 275 pieces submitted from across Pennsylvania.
The William D. Davis Award in Drawing was awarded to Jennifer Kelly of State College, PA for her ink marker drawing, Ry. The Davis Award is sponsored by the Sturtz-Davis Family in William’s memory.
The Best Pastel Award was presented to William Sweeney of Garnet Valley, PA for his pastel, Balancing Act.
Best Photograph was awarded to Lisa Cirincione of State College for her photo, Loving Hands.
The following works were chosen as Award of Merit winners.
Am I Still Dreaming
Mary Eileen Carson, Harrisburg, PA
Needles Highway 1
Thomas Norulak, Pittsburgh, PA
Relentless
Liz Krick, Port Matilda, PA
Summer Swans
Janice Heverly, Howard, PA
The award for Best Work by a Student was given to Alexia Jack of Worthington, PA for Skull and Objects.
Many of the pieces in the Images 2021 exhibition are for sale. To purchase something that moves you, please contact the Festival office at (814) 237-3682.
The Images exhibition is part of 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.
The 55th annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts will take place in a hybrid format from Thursday, July 8 through Sunday, July 11. While the Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition will take place online for the second year, the Festival will welcome live audiences to musical performances.
Those performances will be in the State College Presbyterian Church, 132 West Beaver Avenue, State College, from Thursday, July 8 through Saturday, July 10. Admission will be by $10 wristband, good for the duration of the Festival. Audiences will be limited to 250 people. A wristband will not guarantee the purchaser a seat.
Live shows are as follows:
Thursday, July 8
12:00pm Tussey Mountain Moonshiners (bluegrass)
4:00 pm Below Centre (low brass quartet)
7:00 pm Kristi Jean and Her Ne’er Do Wells (country)
9:00 pm Callanish (Celtic)
Friday, July 9
12:00 pm Ramalama (doo-wop)
4:00 pm JT and the Denicats (Jazz/Dixieland)
7:00 pm Natascha and the Spy Boys (cabaret)
Saturday, July 10
12:00 pm Jay Vonada Quartet (jazz)
4:00 pm Triple A Blues Band (blues)
7:00 pm Jon Rounds (singer/songwriter)
9:00 pm Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet (jazz)
The above performances will be presented live and also streamed live onto the Festival’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Philadelphia area folk standouts, The River Drivers will perform at 9:00 pm on Friday July 9, in a concert that will be streamed only.
The Festival’s celebrated Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition will be online only. Audience members can check out the participating artists at arts-festival.com/artists. The Festival’s website links to the online shopping portal of each participating artist.
“When people ask me how they can help the Festival, I tell them to shop at our Sidewalk Sale artists”, commented Festival director Rick Bryant. “Each participating artist is a small business person trying to navigate the end of the pandemic that had a devastating effect on their livelihoods. If we want to see artists in State College in the summer of 2022, support them now.”
Images 2021, our online gallery exhibition of drawings, paintings, mixed media, photography, hand-pulled prints, watercolors, fiber, paper, and digital art, is a virtual exhibition again this year. It can be found at arts-festival.com/images.The show’s juror, Betsey Batchelor, will award $1,800 in prize money. Award winners will be announced in a virtual awards event on Thursday, July 8 at 6:30 pm.
One of the things many visitors like about Children and Youth Day is the opportunity to see how creative young artists are. The Festival’s Young Artists Gallery provides a place for young artists to show their work. Young artists—up to age 18, may submit digital images of original work in a variety of media to the Young Artists Gallery for exhibition on the Festival’s website. Full details can be found at: https://arts-festival.com/young-artists-gallery/.
The events of 2020—global pandemic, economic devastation, revelations of social injustice, the legacy of slavery, political division, and violence against institutions—have created crises of meaning for many. In these times, communities of faith turn to prayer and reflection, but also to art, which seeks new images and metaphors to name and understand the human experience.
This spring, our friends at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church invited writers of all ages to submit original poetry to a contest that aimed to honor our collective pandemic. Poets were asked to reflect on “Has this year brought forth language of lament or hope?” and “However you experience the divine, where do you see God working through the chaos?”
The result of this thoughtful reflection is a poetry reading at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 10 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 208 W. Foster Avenue State College.
The event will be hosted by poet Julia Spicher Kasdorf with readings by contest winners.
The event will include a panel discussion moderated by The Rev. Jeffrey A. Packard, with panelists The Rt. Rev. Audrey Cady Scanlan, Bishop of Central Pennsylvania, Tierra Williams, and Julia Spicher Kasdorf. Admission is free.
In 2020, the Festival’s street painters worked from homes across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This year, they gathered at a home in Bellefonte for a day of street painting. Their work will be on display https://arts-festival.com/street-painting as of Thursday, July 8.
It’s not a Festival without an official CPFA t-shirt. Our merchandise booth is online again this year. You’ll find a great selection of t-shirts and other gear at https://arts-festival.com/store Longtime Festival partner Collegiate Pride will be sending shirts directly to purchasers again this year.
Food is an essential part of the arts festival experience. Shop at https://arts-festival.com/specialty-foods/ for a variety of regional treats, including Tait Farm and Village Eating House products, Piper’s Peck salsas and jellies, Goot Essa cheeses, and wines from the University Wine Company. Bellefonte’s Big Spring Spirits distillery is offering craft cocktail kits once again, with their proceeds benefiting the 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. 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 announced that audiences will be welcomed to live musical performances this year.
The Festival will present eleven musical performances at the State College Presbyterian Church, 132 West Beaver Avenue, State College, from Thursday, July 8 through Saturday, July 10, 2021.
Admission will be by wristband, which will be available at the door. Wristbands, which are good for the entire three-day event, are $10 and will be required for individuals 12 and older. Audiences will be limited to 250 people, and seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Purchase of a wristband does not guarantee a seat.
The performances will also be live streamed on Facebook Live and YouTube Live.
Wristbands may also be purchased in advance at the Festival office, 403 S. Allen St., Suite 205A, State College.
The Festival’s famous Sidewalk Sale and Exhibition, and juried galley exhibition Images, are taking place virtually this year, at arts-festival.com.
“We’re excited to have performers in front of live audiences once again” noted Festival director Rick Bryant. “We’re not quite back at business as usual, but this is a step in the right direction. We’re looking forward to producing First Night State College in its traditional form on December 31.”
The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts 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.
This year’s virtual event will take place from July 8 to July 11 on the Festival’s website, arts-festival.com.
Festival organizers have released the 2021 collectible Arts Festival poster, in conjunction with 2021’s virtual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.
As in recent years, the 24” by 36” poster was designed by longtime Festival poster designer Lanny Sommese and his daughter Saige. Ink and watercolor doodles representing elements of an “in person” Festival are arranged randomly on a white field, along with a subtle reference to the Festival’s virtual status: a laptop computer from which arises a treble clef. The poster exudes simple joy and optimism for better days ahead.
“A poster is part of our DNA; we would practically walk over hot coals to make sure we have one. Since this year’s Festival is once again in the virtual world, we stuck with last year’s motto ‘happening wherever you are’ instead of the traditional tagline about downtown State College and the Penn State campus,” noted Festival executive director Rick Bryant.
A limited number of posters are available for free—although donations are happily accepted— 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
123 S. Fraser Street, State College
-Art a la Carte
107 S. Allegheny Street, Bellefonte
-Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau
One West Market Street, Lewistown
Posters, including vintage posters, are 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 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.
This year’s virtual event will take place from July 8 to July 11 on the Festival’s website, arts-festival.com.
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.
