Blog - 10-2020 Archive

View our PRO Network recording of a webinar about outsider art and artists with Fred Scruton!

Fred Scruton illustrates and discusses his collaborative documentation of artists and display-makers who are often referred to as ‘self-taught', ‘visionaries’ or ‘outsiders'. Fred travels widely throughout the U.S. to photograph their artworks and built environments; often befriending the artists through numerous return visits.

You're invited! Sunday, November 1 at 1 pm

Please join us for this celebration! In August, Whole Foods Co-op announced a partnership with Erie Arts & Culture Chroma Guild for a mural on the Co-op's east-facing facade exploring the intersection between food access and social justice. A team of artists was selected and they worked together to make this vision a reality. Community feedback was used to develop the design they chose. Painting has just been completed and we are planning to have a dedication ceremony this Sunday, November 1st at 1 pm (rain or shine).

Join us for a PRO Network presentation with Tom Ferraro on November 5 at 6 PM.

In this workshop, artist Tom Ferraro will discuss the development and techniques used by the Looking Glass Art Project, a program designed to engage community stakeholders in the creation of public art. Since 2012, Tom and co-founder or the Looking Glass Art Project, Ed Grout, have led over 20 community-driven public art projects throughout Northwest Pennsylvania. This workshop will provide a snapshot of how the Looking Glass Art Project has adapted their process, originally designed to engage seniors, to include diverse groups of community participants. Topics will include: lessons in Lifelong Learning, finding community partners, identifying big ideas, adapting to various community groups, working to the strength of your participants, the role of the professional artist in the production of public art. Tom will compare and contrast their processes using examples from a variety of past and current projects.

Erie Arts & Culture is excited to reveal the finished mural at Lake Erie International Market.  The market is located at the corner of Brown Avenue and Cherry Street in the City of Erie. 

Erie Arts & Culture worked with New American artists to develop projects that improve the exterior facades of ethnic markets located within the City of Erie. This project also supports the City of Erie’s efforts to become a certified Welcoming City through Welcoming America, a national organization that provides the roadmap and support for cities to become more inclusive toward immigrants and all residents.

Using henna inspired designs, Nialwak painted a mural around the doorway of the Lake Erie International Market. An all-female team of artists who recently created the mural on 7th and State Street celebrating women’s right to vote provided guidance and instruction to Nialwak. 

We're excited to give away two copies of Textures: The History and Art of Black Hair.

The book coincides with an exhibit at Kent State University slated to open on September 10, 2021 and continues through August 14, 2022. Presently, the book is only available for pre-order, with a release date of October 30, 2020. All proceeds benefit Erie Arts & Culture's CHROMA Guild.

The City of Erie is accepting qualifications from visual artists, including graphic designers, residing in Erie County for a public art opportunity. Finished artwork for this project will be incorporated into vinyl wraps covering two City of Erie bandwagons.

On October 21, Erie Arts & Culture hosted an information session to address questions artists had about the application process. We've included a recording of our Q&A session for your convenience.

Staff Picks: A curated list of what to look at, listen to, watch, or read from the team at EAC

For more than three decades, the Arts and Culture Appreciation Awards have recognized and honored those individuals, businesses, and organizations who use arts-based disciplines or deliver cultural programming to positively impact the Erie community. Continuing in this tradition, we are asking you to please participate in the nomination process. It is through your participation that we identify those within the community who represent the spirit of these awards.

There are five award categories and nominees may be businesses, organizations, foundations, groups, or individuals. Nominations must address the criteria outlined for the award for which the nomination is being submitted. A panel of volunteers will objectively review each submission based on the quality of the information provided with each nomination. 

Want to nominate a deserving member of the community? Read on to learn more.

Erie Arts & Culture and its Cultural Service Partners invite the public to participate in the 2020 United Arts Fund, which started on September 1 and will continue through December 31, 2020. 

October 29 at 6 PM | Join us to learn about outsider art and artists with Fred Scruton!

As part of our PRO Network speaker series, Erie Arts & Culture invites the public to attend a virtual presentation and Q&A with photographer Fred Scruton on October 29 at 6 PM.

The event is available via zoom and we will also live stream it on our Facebook page.

Erie Arts & Culture is thrilled to announce that the agency will welcome Gonzalo Hernandez as the next visiting artist in residence. Gonzalo's residency will take place from October 26 until November 28.

Thank you to all who attended "The Crown We Wear: Black Hair as Art in Life" on October 13.

Florida artist Sharon Norwood participated in a conversation with master stylist, educator and author, Danielle Slade, the owner of Erie’s So Fancy Hair Salon. The moderator of this dialogue is Dr. Rhonda Matthews, Edinboro Associate Professor of Politics. Matthews is a political sociologist, with specialty areas in gender, theory and popular culture.

Norwood creates work “that challenge our passive ways of looking.” Her sculptures, drawings, ceramics, and fiber works address a specific “social, political and cultural context” while engaging issues of “race, gender, beauty and class.” Her frequent use of a curly line is sometimes “a metaphor for the black body” and other times a decorative and formal expression, simply “a beautiful mark.”

Thank you to all who attended on Thursday, October 15 at 12:00 PM. This virtual roundtable featured Leslie Sotomayor, Roger Solano, Stephanie Diez-Morel, and Sheila Lorenzo de la Pena. This was hosted in connection with Edinboro University's Latinx Heritage Month.

At Erie Homecoming 2020, attendees will connect with each other in real-time via Cities: Skyline, a video game designed to realize the thrill and hardships of creating and maintaining a real city while expanding on some well-established tropes of the city building experience.

Flagship Opportunity Zone portfolio company and Erie-based video game publisher Whitethorn Games, founded by Dr. Matthew White, recently received a $1.2M investment through the Erie Insurance Opportunity Zone fund.

Please join us on Thursday, October 15 at 12:00 PM for a virtual roundtable between Leslie Sotomayor, Roger Solano, Stephanie Diez-Morel, and Sheila Lorenzo de la Pena. This is hosted in connection with Edinboro University's Latinx Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15).

In alignment with our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Erie Arts & Culture is proud to host this Hispanic cultural programming. We will gather for a Cafe con Leche, which - as you will read below - is much more than sharing a pot of coffee.