• Art Around Every Corner

      Coordinating, Communicating and Advocating for the Arts in Allentown

    • The Fences Project: An Urban Gallery

      The Cultural Coalition of Allentown, working alongside City Center and the Allentown Art Commission, lives into it's goal of "Art Around Every Corner" once again with the posting of seven artists' work along Hamilton Street between 9th & 10th Streets in Downtown Allentown.

      The Artists selected were:

      Nina Boodhansingh - The Clearing

      Rosemary Geseck - Pretty Birds Allentown

      Matt Halm - Struggle in Boxes

      Femi J Johnson - West Street

      Tara Santoro - The Moments That Matter

      Anthony Smith - The Hotness in Concert No. 1

      Charles Stonewall - The Confidence to Soar

      An Artists Celebration is scheduled for Third Thursday, June 21 at 4:30PM at the site on Hamilton Street between 9th & 10th Streets, to officially introduce the Fences installation and a few of the artists whose work adorns the "Urban Gallery." Following afterward will be a "Meet the Artists" event at The Dime located on the third floor of the Renaissance Hotel.

    • CCA Kids Activities at Annual Blues, Brews & Barbecue

      CCA was on hand along the Arts Walk on June 9 during the 11th Annual Blues, Brews and Barbecue Festival giving the event's youngest attendees a chance to show off their creativity in a series of arts and crafts activities. Thank you to artists Pedro DeLee, Rosemary Geseck and Ann Schlegel for sharing their talents with us!

    • Josh Miller & CCA at the ASD Science Fair & Arts Walk

      The Cultural Coalition of Allentown recently partnered with artist Josh Miller for an interactive exhibit at the Allentown School District Science Fair on May 31 at Allen High School. Josh's work will now be part of a month long installation at the RE: find Gallery on the Arts Walk in Downtown Allentown.

       

      Miller's art creates a variation of the Wave Form piece http://josh-miller.com/portfolio/waveform/. The piece is displayed on large screen, and the visuals manipulated with bicycle tires. The piece is participatory, so the speed and combination of people spinning the tires generate unique particles trails that cannot be possibly be recreated by any other means. Users manipulate the flow of particle, the coloration of the particles, and how excitedly the particle moves.

       

      Josh Miller is a designer and college professor living in eastern Pennsylvania. Josh has an undergraduate degree and graduate degree in Computer Science and a MFA in New Media Design. His collaborative public art pieces have been exhibited internationally, most recently in Malmo Sweden as part of the Agrikultura exhibition. Josh’s true interests lie in the intersection between design, programming, and innovate user experiences. For full biography and work samples, please visit www.josh-miller.com.

    • 2018 Allentown Arts Commission Artist-in-ReSidence Program

      Artists Announcements Coming Soon!

      Over 30 Artists Applied for $45,000 in 2018 Grants

      The Allentown Arts Commission is proud to announce a public artist call for the 2018 Artist-in-Residence Program to artistically engage the community and create a bridge between the neighborhoods throughout the City of Allentown by fostering inclusiveness and celebrating diversity.

       

      Five Artist-in-Residence projects will be awarded with funding based on artist experience and project scope. Two $4,500 grants will be awarded to Emerging Artists who are at the earliest stages of their career. Two $9,000 grants will be awarded to Established Artists as defined by those who have created an independent body of work or performed extensively on stage or screen. One $18,000 grant will be awarded to a Professional Artist who has reached an advanced level of achievement for their work in their discipline.


      Artists of all genres including visual, music, theatre, dance, literary and digital are encouraged to submit a proposal to the Allentown Arts Commission between February 19 and March 19 for projects to be completed by December 31, 2018. Eligible artists must live, work or study in Allentown and must submit their proposal including budget and time line by 11:59PM Mon., March 19. A full listing of all submission requirements and detailed instructions are available for download at the Arts Commission website.

       

      The review of all proposals will be made through a juried process including leaders of the Allentown artistic community representing residents, businesses, civic, educational and arts and cultural representatives. Members of the Allentown Art Commission will make the final selection of 2018 artists with grant recipients notified on April 9.

       

      In order to answer questions and provide guidance on submitting a future proposal, the Allentown Arts Commission will be hosting Community Meetings for interested artists at three locations during the months of May and June. For more information, please contact Deb Rabinsky at Deborah@culturalcoalitionofallentown.org.

       

      For more information on the Artist-in-Residence Program please contact Deborah Rabinsky at 484.809.2853 or deborah@culturalcoalitionofallentown.org or visit the Allentown Arts Commission website at www.allentownpa.gov/arts

    • Arts Commission ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Meetings

      Community Meetings for Artists Held Thursday March 1, Sunday March 4 and Thursday March 8

      First Artist Meeting Held on March 1

      CADCA Offices Host 10 Artists, Commissioners Provide Info

      In order to answer questions and provide guidance on submitting a proposal, the Allentown Arts Commission is hosting Community Meetings for interested artists at three locations during the month of March. The first community meeting was held on Thursday, March 1 at the CADCA Offices at 523 N. 7th St.

       

      The second community meeting will be held on Sunday, March 4 from 12PM-1PM at Civic Theater 514 at 527 19th St. The final community meeting will be held on Thurs, March 8 from 6-7PM at the Baum School at 510 Linden St.

       

      Artist Meeting Held March 4 at Civic Theater

      Theater 514 Hosts 10 Artists of Diverse Genres, Backgrounds

      The Allentown Arts Commission hosted the second of three Community Meetings for interested artists on Sunday, March 4 at the Civic Theater 514 on 19th Street.

       

      The third and final community meeting will be held on Thurs, March 8 from 6-7:30PM at the Baum School at 510 Linden St.

       

      Please RSVP your attendance to Deb Rabinsky at Deborah@culturalcoalitionofallentown.org.

    • 2018 Artist-in-Residence Brings Collaboration with Arts Commission

      Cultural Coalition Selected to Manage Artist-in-Residence Programs

      The Cultural Coalition of Allentown (CCA) was selected by the City of Allentown's Department of Community and Economic Development to manage the Artist-in-Residence Programs of the Allentown Arts Commission throughout 2018.

      In announcing the selection, Deborah Rabinsky, Director of Artistic Operations for CCA said, "We are honored to be selected to manage the Artist-in-Residence program for the Allentown Arts Commission beginning in 2018. We believe our experience with our first year Artist-in-Residence projects in the Upside Allentown neighborhoods uniquely qualifies the CCA to take on this responsibility to grow the involvement with artists across this great city."

       

      The CCA's role will be to assist in the Artist Call process as well as month-by-month monitoring of the progress of the Artist-in-Residence program on behalf of the Arts Commission and the City of Allentown. The New Initiatives Committee of the Arts Commission will be responsible for the recommendation of the artists to the Arts Commission beginning with the vetting process in early 2018.

       

      The official announcement of the 2018 Artist Call will be forthcoming on or before January 1, 2018. Watch for details to be posted on the websites of the Cultural Coalition of Allentown and the Allentown Arts Commission.

    • Join the movement

      Engage in the Arts & Culture Activities in Allentown

      Submit

    • Feb 8 Capacity Building Session

      CCA Co-Hosted Standards for Excellence Event in Bethlehem

    • “Working Together: Art Around Every Corner” Gallery

      The Allentown Arts Commission, Cultural Coalition of Allentown and City Center Allentown are
      pleased to announce the artists selected in “The Best of Allentown: 2017,” the first in a
      continuing series of programs to shine the spotlight on Allentown’s most talented, creative and

      dynamic artists in a variety of genres.

      The Artists selected were:

      Nina Boodhansingh - The Clearing

      Rosemary Geseck - Pretty Birds Allentown

      Matt Halm - Struggle in Boxes

      Femi Johnson - West End

      Tara Santoro - The Moments That Matter

      Anthony Smith - The Hotness in Concert No. 1

      Charles Stonewall - The Confidence to Soar

      The theme of this year’s project was “Working Together: Art Around Every Corner” and will
      feature the selected artist’s work displayed in the Hamilton District on construction fences

      between Ninth and Tenth Streets on Hamilton Street.

      Deborah Rabinsky, member of the Allentown Arts Commission and Artistic Operations Director
      for the Cultural Coalition of Allentown said of the project, “We are thankful to all of the artists
      who submitted their work. In total, the artist call resulted in 71 entries. An outstanding number
      that shows the vibrancy and vitality of the arts scene here in Allentown.” Rabinsky added, “We
      had so many fine submissions, we will be looking at ways to showcase those pieces and artist in

      the coming months.”

      Click on the thumbnails below to enjoy the artwork in it's full size.

    • Arts & Business Conversation

      On October 11th the Allentown Chamber of Commerce and the City of Allentown joined with the Cultural Coalition of Allentown and the Allentown Art Museum to continue a conversation on the arts as business that started on September 8th at the "Whose Business is the Arts?" conference presented by the Lehigh Valley Arts Council.

      While there was much discussed at this event, one of the primary concerns was to continue to define how we can engage with the arts community as an industry rather than as a charity.

      The arts contribute $186 million of annual economic activity in the Lehigh Valley. This impact is substantial, and influences much of the social, educational, and economic fabric of our community. It is, however, both fragile and a struggle on many fronts.

       

      The story of most every successful community revitalization leverages the arts as a part of their economic plan. From New York to LA examples of cultural revitalization of urban centers abounds. Creativity is now a fundamental component needed for the development of an educated work force. Exposure to the arts, any arts, has been proven over and over again to provide a foundation for educational excellence. Unique opportunities to engage the arts expands the quality of life for all. The recruitment and retention of top quality talent is often dependent upon the sustainability of top quality arts institutions and diverse cultural experiences.

       

      The conversation on October 11th focused more on "business" than the "arts". Specifically, exploring the economic benefits and needs of a vibrant cultural economy and engaging in a conversation with both our business and cultural leaders seeking ideas and aspirations for a fully developed and impactful arts and cultural sector and the creation of synergies guiding both our business and cultural development.

       

      Watch for more to come from this ongoing dialogue revolving around the arts role in the economic development of Allentown and the region.

    • Thomas Mann Trajectory Heart

      CCA was honored to partner with Ann Lalik and the Penn State University - Lehigh Valley campus, the Baum School of Art, Allentown Art Museum and RE:find Gallery to bring world-renowned artist Thomas Mann to Allentown and the Lehigh Valley this July.

      THOMAS MANN'S Trajectory Heart Lehigh Valley is a community project that will occur during the month of July 2017. Students and artists will work with Mann to create the Trajectory Heart sculpture, document the project, assist in the gallery, and travel the Heart around the Lehigh Valley. The maker space will be located in RE:find Gallery on the Arts Walk in downtown Allentown.

      Follow along with image from volunteer photographer Patrick Vance who is chronicling the work.

    • Peter Pan Workshop

      CCA and Allentown Public Theatre came together to provide an interactive experience for children in the Jordan Heights neighborhood during the Summer of 2017 as part of the "Authentically Allentown" Artist-in-Residence program.

      Free workshops took place at several churches throughout the Jordan Heights neighborhood and capped off with a performance in August at Allentown Art Museum

      Allentown Public Theatre presented “Peter Pan: Wendy – An Adventure in Neverland” as an interactive experience for children throughout the Jordan Heights community of Allentown. The workshops consisted of different elements including acting, set design and costume making while preparing for a performance before an audience of parents, friends and community and church members.

       

      Participation was open to any child 5-12 years old from the Jordan Heights community and presented in a bilingual format.

       

      The “Authentically Allentown” Artist-in-Residence program is the initial signature initiative from CCA’s 20:21 Arts Plan. Working in collaboration with the Jordan Heights’ Neighborhood Revitalization program, two-hour workshops were held each day for three days with 10-20 neighborhood children, culminating in a free weekend performance of the play. Workshops were held in Grace Episcopal Church in June, Sacred Heart Church in July and Union Baptist Church in August. The entire series capped off with a performance of Wendy in Downtown Allentown in August as part of the Third Thursday on August 17 at the Allentown Art Museum.

       

      The Cultural Coalition of Allentown is supported by the Community Action Development Corporation (CADCA) and the Upside Allentown Neighborhood Partnership Program and the Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation. The Upside Allentown neighborhoods consist of the Hamilton District, Old Allentown, Old Fairgrounds, Jordan Heights, Promise Neighborhood and Seventh Street.

    • Coalition Announcement By Allentown Arts, Business and Community Leaders

      Launch of the “Authentically Allentown” Artist-in-Residency Program

      APRIL 20, 2017

      The revitalization of the city of Allentown has been underway over the past several years bringing new businesses, guests and residents to the city as part of a renaissance of Pennsylvania’s third largest city. The arts and culture community has had, and continues to have, a significant role in this economic development by enhancing economic vitality, improving the quality of life for all, and serving as a centerpiece for the growth and excellence of the region’s creative economy.

       

      In conjunction with the Upside Allentown initiative, a program of the Community Action Development Corporation of Allentown (CADCA), an 18-month strategic planning process was undertaken by members of the community, including residents, artists, creative sector entrepreneurs, cultural organizations, public officials, educational institutions, philanthropic partners, and others. The result of this process was the Allentown Arts & Culture 20:21 Plan, affording the community a plan of engagement and implementation to be taken over the next four years in Downtown Allentown and beyond.

       

      As the first step in the process of implementing the Arts & Culture 20:21 Plan, leaders from the arts, businesses and communities throughout Allentown proudly announce the formation of the Cultural Coalition of Allentown (CCA), an independent non-profit organization whose vision is to create a vibrant, energetic and engaging Allentown with an abundance of diverse arts and cultural offerings including several signature initiatives.

       

      The initial signature initiative from CCA’s 20:21 Plan being launched by the CCA is the “Authentically Allentown” Artist-in-Residence program. Beginning with each of the six neighborhoods of the Upside Allentown community, the CCA will host each artist-in-residence for a two-year commitment and will provide a stipend and funds for supplies and materials. Artists will serve as ambassadors, teachers and demonstrators of creative expression as they strengthen community connections within and across neighborhoods.

       

      The first “Authentically Allentown” Artist-in-Residency program will run in the Jordan Heights neighborhood from May through September as Allentown Public Theatre joins with CCA to present a series of workshops and performances of a bilingual version of Peter Pan. Working in collaboration with the Jordan Heights’ Neighborhood Revitalization program, a two-hour workshop will be held each day for four days with 10-20 neighborhood children, culminating in a free weekend performance of the play. Hosting the Workshops will be Grace Episcopal Church in May, Union Baptist Church in June and Sacred Heart Church in July. The entire series will be capped off with a performance of Peter Pan in Downtown Allentown in August as part of the Third Thursday on August 17.

       

      In addition to the “Authentically Allentown” Artist-in-Residency program, the CCA will be showcasing the arts and culture of the city through collaborative projects such as Third Thursdays and cohort projects with the Allentown Art Museum, the Baum School, Penn State University-Lehigh Valley and the Hamilton District Main Street Program among other partners to be announced.

       

      Artists interested in submitting projects for the Authentically Allentown” Artist-in-Residence program are encouraged to contact Deborah Rabinsky, Artistic Operations Director for the Cultural Coalition of Allentown at dearte2@verizon.net or 610.820.3829.

       

      The Cultural Coalition of Allentown is supported by the Upside Allentown Neighborhood Partnership Program, a program of the Community Action Development Corporation of Allentown (CADCA) and the Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation. The Upside Allentown neighborhoods consist of the Hamilton District, Old Allentown, Old Fairgrounds, Jordan Heights, Promise Neighborhood and Seventh Street.

       

    • third thursday

      A NEW monthly event hosted by the Cultural Coalition of Allentown and the Hamilton District Main Street Program. When the arts, shops and restaurants come together to showcase Downtown Allentown.

      Visit arts venues, art galleries, artist studios, retailers, and restaurants in downtown for an eclectic experience each month. Events take place between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and are Free and Open to the Public.

      Follow along and post with #3rdsday

       

    • In the media

      Check out the latest about the Cultural Coalition of Allentown in the news

    • Our vision

      The VISION for the Cultural Coalition of Allentown is to create a vibrant, energetic and engaging downtown Allentown with an abundance of diverse community arts and cultural offerings

       

      For eighteen months, the Arts & Culture Committee Co-Chairs and the 12-member Stakeholder Leadership Group Executive Committee worked with their consultants, Corona Insights of Denver, Colo., to gain feedback and solicit insights from multiple constituencies including residents, business, government, education and the artistic community across the six neighborhoods of Upside Allentown and throughout the city.

       

      Over 1,300 individuals were engaged in the project through a series of focus groups, one-on-one meetings, vision walls, public surveys and community input sessions. In the fall of 2015, a formal Needs Assessment was presented identifying the main areas of focus for the strategic planning process that were to occur throughout the coming year. Throughout 2016, additional research, outreach and evaluation took place to craft a four-year plan for Arts & Culture in Downtown Allentown.

       

      The Arts & Culture Plan 20:21 was officially presented in October, 2016 to the city and its residents, with implementation and outreach of signature initiatives and work on multiple goals beginning in 2017.

    • support the plan

      Volunteer Committees Overseeing the Implementation of Allentown Arts 20:21

      Stakeholder Leadership Group

      Members of the Community

      A select group of individuals represents the diversity of stakeholders in our community, including residents, artists, creative sector entrepreneurs, faith-based groups, cultural organizations, public officials, educational institutions, philanthropic partners, and more.

      Cultural Coalition of Allentown Executive Committee

      Leaders Charting a New Course

      A group of twelve leaders from the artistic, business, government and education communities to provide guidance and direction to the larger 75-member Stakeholders Leadership Group. Meeting monthly, the Executive Committee is working on the future of the arts in Allentown by building bridges with the community across all backgrounds to lay the foundation to experience art everyday. We would like to thank these individuals for their dedication to the arts and cultural community in Allentown:

      David Mickenburg - Chair

      Ellen Baker Ghelardi

      Dan Bosket

      Norberto Dominguez

      Maryann Gross

      Miriam Huertas

      Bryan Tuk

      Pete Waldron

      Diane Pierce-Williams

      Sean King (Advancement)

      Deborah Rabinsky (Artistic Operations)

      Sharon Smith (Administration)

      Thank You Corona Insights!

      Denver Firm Led the Research and Facilitation of the Plan

      The Upside Allentown Arts & Culture Committee would like to thank Karla Raines and Kate Darwent from Corona Insights for their hard work, talent and dedication to the strategic planning process. Pictured from the left are: Sean King, Kate Darwent, Karla Raines and Ellen Baker Ghelardi.

    • arts & Culture Planning documents

      The Allentown Cultural Planning Project consists of five components of community information gathering. Read the results of these elements and download the final Arts & Culture 20:21 Plan.

      Focus Groups

      Five Sessions in 2015

      75 members of the community took part in a series of five Focus Groups in 2015. Click Here to read a report on these sessions.

      Needs Assessment

      Full Report from Fact Finding

      Click Here to download the complete Needs Assessment Report presented by the principals from Corona Insights in October 2015

      Vision Walls

      Seven Installations in 2015

      Nearly 700 individuals posted their dreams for arts and culture in Allentown. Click Here to read a report on the vision walls

      Public Survey

      Outreach to Community

      Download the results of the Public Survey completed in the Spring of 2016 by residents of the Center City community and other areas of Allentown

      regarding their experiences and engagement with the arts

      Open Houses

      Community Input Sessions

      Several sessions were held throughout the community this summer as the final opportunity to hear from the diverse members of the city. Nine sessions hosted nearly 100 individuals to hear their feedback on arts and culture.

      Arts & Culture 20:21

      Strategic Plan

      Download the complete and comprehensive Allentown Arts & Culture 20:21 Plan as presented to the Stakeholders Leadership Group and ratified by the Upside Allentown Steering Committee in December, 2016.

    • Resources

      Here are some Resources on the Cultural Planning Process

      2014 Patron Loyalty Study

      Download Here

      Arts & Economic Prosperity in the Lehigh Valley: 2012

      Download Here

      Creative Placemaking

      Download Here

      Allentown CCI Strategic Plan

      Download Here

    © 2017 Cultural Coalition of Allentown