Blog

On March 1, 2021, Erie Arts & Culture welcomes our third visiting artist of 2021, Rachel Libeskind. Rachel’s residency will be split into two chunks of time, with the first half of her residency spanning March 1st through the 5th. Rachel will then return to Erie on the 10th and continue to be in residence with Erie Arts & Culture through March 22nd.

New Fundraiser Hopes to Become Regional Tradition
Erie Arts & Culture and Presque Isle Partnership Launch the Great Lake Ice Break

In 2019, Erie Arts & Culture and the Presque Isle Partnership developed a collaborative fundraiser modeled after an Alaskan tradition that’s occurred annually since 1917. Unfortunately, winter conditions in 2019 and 2020 didn’t prove favorable for the fundraiser and plans sat on ice until 2021. With formal permission received from the Erie Western Pennsylvania Port Authority, the two non-profit organizations will finally have an opportunity to test the merits of the innovative fundraiser to determine if it has what it takes to become an annual tradition for the region.

Thank you, Gisele!

Second Lady Gisele Barreto Fetterman recognizes that 2020 presented a lot of challenges to the non-profit sector. She's identified a creative way to support non-profits throughout the commonwealth who have missions that align with her priorities. 

50+ Submissions Received for Downtown Erie Sculpture Walk

At the beginning of February, Erie Arts & Culture and the Erie Downtown Development Corporation published a national call to artists in connection with a newly designed outdoor sculpture exhibition titled the Downtown Erie Sculpture Walk. The deadline for artists to apply to the exhibition was February 22, 2021. Erie Arts & Culture wrote the Request for Proposals (RFP) and promoted the opportunity to artists throughout the nation. In total, Erie Arts & Culture received 60 submissions for the inaugural sculpture walk. Applications came from 15 states in total.

Erie Arts & Culture is now building an independent panel to review all submissions. The panel will consist of Downtown stakeholders, design professionals, artists, art educators, and art administrators.

How have artists responded to the monotony of isolation and repetition experienced during lockdown? This virtual art exhibition, organized and curated by Allegheny students, is the result of conversations about how art-making changes in times of remote work and isolation. It also serves as a means of processing and reflecting in moments of crisis.

Make. Sleep. Repeat. features artworks by Allegheny Studio Art Faculty — Heather Brand, Eric D. Charlton, Byron Rich, Ian F. Thomas — and Seattle-based artist KCJ Szwedzinski, Erie Arts & Culture's current Visiting Artist in Residence.

Celebrating a collaborative milestone: The 2020 United Arts Fund raises $794,934 for Erie Arts & Culture, Erie Philharmonic, Erie Playhouse, expERIEnce Children's Museum, the Flagship Niagara League, and the Hagen History Center.

Erie Arts & Culture and our Cultural Service Partners celebrate the results of a tremendous collaborative effort during the 2020 United Arts Fund campaign. Due to the impact of the pandemic on our creative and cultural sector, this year's campaign had a weighed degree of importance. As such, we came together to push the boundaries of what fundraising looks like in a time when going virtual is the only option. The end result highlights the good that can happen when organizations unite efforts and innovate to support the arts and cultural sector.

With our efforts combined, the United Arts Fund campaign surpassed its goal of $500,000, soaring to a final raised amount of $794,934!

In celebration of Black History month, Erie Arts & Culture presents a section of the Discovery Trail, a new public art project which enhanced 24 utility boxes with vibrant artwork to celebrate Erie’s history, landmarks, and diversity.  Highlighted in this blog post, this section of the trail features the work of local graphic designer, Nick Warren, who chronicled the lives of eight Black "trailblazers" through colorful imagery and narratives.

We invite you to read about these individuals who have enhanced the Erie region and changed history forever through their service to others and their community.

We’ve been thinking, and it’s clear that it's time we consider taking our relationship to the next level. What if we made this official? Will you do us the honor of becoming a monthly donor?

Erie Arts & Culture invites you to become a member of our monthly giving community.  Imagine, we could work together every single month to make a positive impact in our community through investments in culture and creativity.

Congratulations to the next round of Artist Fellows: Corinne Justine, Ashley Pastore, and Fredy Huaman Mallqui! Learn more about them in our latest blog post.

Navigating 2020 has been fraught with challenges. But, in every challenge lies an opportunity. As an agency, we’ve had to wrestle with funding constraints and disruptions to operations. However, as a team, we’ve used this as an opportunity to evolve and innovate. 

Read our Q4 Impact Report to learn about our most recent programs, services, and impact on the community.

Bridgeway Capital has launched the CDCP + Monmade Art Business Coaching Program. The Erie County Redevelopment Authority has opened its second round of grants for artist entrepreneurs. Bakery Square is soliciting qualifications from artists or artist teams, to provide artwork incorporated into/onto the façade of its newly renovated building at 6425 Penn Ave, on the interior of its campus in the Larimer neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA.