05/15/2023
Today, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) unveiled newly installed student artwork at the Peter J. Camiel Turnpike Service Plaza. Students from Twin Valley High School created the piece, which is a series of glazed ceramic mosaics highlighting historical and natural sites in the region. This is the 12th artwork created in conjunction with Art Sparks, a PCA and PTC partnership to bring student-created, locally relevant artwork to service plazas across the PTC’s 564-mile system.
05/03/2023
Today, in celebration of Small Business Week, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) launched the Creative Business spotlight series, which shines a light on the role small businesses play in the economy and Pennsylvania communities.
04/24/2023
Today, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) unveiled newly installed student artwork at the South Midway Turnpike Service Plaza. Students from Chestnut Ridge High School created the piece, which is a glazed ceramic mosaic depicting area landmarks. QR codes that link to custom videos about each location are incorporated throughout the piece. This is the 11th artwork created in conjunction with Art Sparks, a PCA and PTC partnership to bring student-created, locally relevant artwork to service plazas across the PTC’s 564-mile system.
04/17/2023
Today, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) unveiled newly installed student artwork at the North Midway Turnpike Service Plaza. Students from Everett Area High School developed the installation, which is a glazed ceramic mosaic depicting the history and landmarks of Bedford County. The installed piece is the tenth artwork created in conjunction with Art Sparks, a PCA and PTC partnership to bring student-created, locally relevant artwork to service plazas across the PTC’s 564-mile system.
03/22/2023
Newly released data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) show significant contributions by the creative sector to U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021. Up 8.5 percent from 2020, Pennsylvania’s creative sector added more than $28.6 billion to the Commonwealth’s economy, employing more than 165,000 FTE positions and providing $14 billion in compensation. BEA data reflect that Pennsylvania ranks seventh in the nation for creative sector employment and eighth in the nation for creative sector GDP.
03/13/2023
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) announced that Peachy Lee, a senior at Lancaster Country Day School in Lancaster County, is Pennsylvania’s 2023 Poetry Out Loud (POL) state champion. Lee will represent Pennsylvania in the National Finals, which will be held in Washington, D.C., beginning May 8, 2023.
03/03/2023
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) unveiled newly installed student artwork at the Valley Forge Turnpike Service Plaza. High school students from Archbishop John Carroll High School developed the installation, which is a glazed ceramic tile mosaic depicting the history and evolution of Valley Forge Park. The installed piece is the ninth artwork created in conjunction with Art Sparks, a PCA and PTC partnership to bring student-created, locally relevant artwork to service plazas across the PTC’s more than 550-mile system.
10/03/2022
Today, Karl Blischke, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), announced the launch of the Academy for Creative Aging, a free, digital platform that offers a certificate of completion for teaching artists and on-demand video lessons for older adults.
05/31/2022
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn today announced a new diversity, equity, and inclusion partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts that is connecting students with local artists to create and display art at three state parks.
03/17/2022
Governor Tom Wolf today announced that more than $4 million has been awarded to six projects in Pennsylvania’s Appalachian Region through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative.
03/14/2022
Mario Grugan, a senior from Tyrone Area School District in Huntingdon County, is Pennsylvania’s 2022 Poetry Out Loud (POL) state champion. Grugan will represent Pennsylvania in the National Finals, which will be streamed virtually beginning on May 1, 2022.
12/06/2021
Today, Karl Blischke, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), announced availability of the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator (CEA) Program, which matches eligible creative entrepreneurs with existing, free, local, small business consulting services and financial resources up to $2,000 to help grow their businesses, audiences, and revenue. Grant funds may be used for activities such as research and development, purchase of supplies and equipment, and professional and business development fees.
06/10/2021
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) Executive Director, Karl Blischke, today announced one of the country’s first statewide partnerships using creative arts therapies to support well-being and resiliency among frontline healthcare workers. The initiative is a partnership of the PCA, a state agency under the Office of the Governor, and the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP).