During the 2017-18 grant period, the Pocono Arts Council provided the following programs and services to the Pocono region of Northeastern Pennsylvania:
- Monthly newsletter sent via email and snail mail. Over 2200 emails are sent monthly to members, non-members and media. Mid month news items and events are also sent.
- Studio Courses in a variety of disciplines continue at the Pocono Arts Council. On-going classes in oils and acrylics were very successful. We added two new children’s classes and classes continued at the Monroe County Correctional Facility.
- Ten Public Gallery Spaces plus the addition of a Gallery Store and Studio Gallery at the Pocono Arts Council. Two new spaces have requested to be on the rotation.
- Participation in ArtPop, co-sponsored by ArtPop and Adams Outdoor Advertising. The work of 5 regional artists was placed on billboards that rotated throughout the region for one year.
- Holiday Store featuring the work of local and regional fine artists and craftsmen in the Pocono Arts Council’s ARTSPACE Gallery, November 23 – January 5, 2018.
- 24th Annual Student Juried Art Exhibition, ARTSPACE Gallery, February 2018 with 50 students participating from all local school districts. Work of art educators were also included in the show.
- The Earth Speaks IV, A Juried Exhibition on the Environmental Crisis. Regional juried show exhibiting works by 62 artists, ARTSPACE Gallery, April 2018. Opening reception, April 21, 2018. Partners included East Stroudsburg University, Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Northampton Community College – Monroe Campus, and the Pocono Mountain Arts Council. Juror was Raymond Barnes, Moravian College.
- Annual Members’ Exhibition, May, 2018, including a reception, May 15, 2018.
- Pocono Art Collage – on-going collaboration with Northampton Community College – Monroe Campus featuring Pocono Mountain Arts Council, Pocono Mountain Art Group, Pocono Painters, Pocono Photography Club and Pocono Watercolor Assoc. The groups also collaborated on two additional exhibitions: The American Experience” and “Recent Works.”
- ARTSPACE Gallery – Public gallery featuring local and regional artists in themed shows, as well as special exhibitions. Special exhibitions included Art as Spirituality and other themes including Waterscapes, Photography and Nature & Geometry.
- Arts Advocacy, technical assistance and referrals for artists in all disciplines.
- 1st Annual Stroudsburg Arts Festival, July 7, in cooperation with Downtown Stroudsburg Business Association.
- 14th Annual Festival of Wood, August 4 & 5, in cooperation with the US Forest Service headquartered in Milford, PA at Grey Towers National Historic Site.
- 32nd Annual Pocono State Craft Festival, August 25 & 26. The show continued at Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm and was a wonderful collaboration between Quiet Valley, the Pocono Arts Council and the Pocono Chapter of the PA Guild of Craftsmen.
- On-going collaboration with St’art Stroudsburg, a local group that promotes public art including murals throughout Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg.
- On-going collaboration with East Stroudsburg University in promotion of the Sterling Strauser Gallery featuring his work along with other outsider artists. This year, we engaged in a MAP Room project in partnership with Professor David Mazure.
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