The Value of Volunteerism

April is National Volunteer Month, and like many non-profits, The Lehigh Valley Arts Council could not do all that it does without our dedicated volunteers.  We value all of our volunteers and have a profile of two long-time volunteers, who we hope will inspire you to volunteer in 2021. Kelly and Mike Guttman have been…

PERMISSION GRANTED: Be a Voice for the Arts

Two weeks ago, I attended the dedication of five murals installed on the exterior wall of the LCCC—Donley Center in downtown Allentown. There was excitement among the crowd as Donley Center Director Maryanell Biggica welcomed guests and touted the power of the arts to bring people together. The murals, celebrating the theme of diversity and…

Festival UnBound is a model of inclusivity and accessibility

When Touchstone Theatre began talking two years ago about staging a major festival to celebrate its hometown of Bethlehem and commemorate 20 years of change since its groundbreaking Steel Festival, it had a huge vision. It had a vision of creating original art designed to spark conversation. It had a vision of debating, discussing and…

Maya Rodgers: Arts Traveler

Reverse culture shock can be all too real. Landing at the Philadelphia Airport on a gloomy, rainy day, much like the weather I had left behind in London, had me feeling all different emotions about returning home to Pennsylvania. It may have been from the 16+ hours I had been traveling (starting at London Heathrow,…

A Lehigh Valley Case Study in the Making

Studies have shown that learning in the arts contributes to strong academic performance, higher rates of literacy and improved problem solving skills.  The benefits stem, however, from a student’s consistent engagement with the arts. They are the results of a comprehensive strategy to measure outcomes in many grade levels and over a considerable length of…

Volunteerism is Arts Advocacy

The value of the arts in a community is best reflected in the strength of volunteerism that exists. In the Lehigh Valley, that impact is tremendous. The 2017 Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 5 reported that 6,952 volunteers donated 323,354 hours to 98 arts nonprofits in 2015. Across the rich, culturally diverse landscape of the…

Holiday Traditions Made in the Arts

Take a break from gift-giving and the retail overload and truly enjoy the holiday season! Here are festive holiday arts happenings that will warm your heart and remind you to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us this time of year. The perfect time to start a holiday tradition is NOW -- and what better way to…