Pocono Arts Council in Stroudsburg hosts drive-by art exhibition on June 27
From a press release:
Leave it to artists to find a creative way to bring people together while staying apart.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Pocono Arts Council has announced a brand new drive-by art exhibition slated for Saturday, June 27 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. In case of rain, it will move to Sunday, June 28.
10 area artists, all members of the Pocono Arts Council, are presenting outdoor exhibitions at their homes and studios for the public to view. The rules are no contact, no touching, masks are required outside of vehicles, adherence to social distancing policies, and no trespassing on private land.
Inspired by local artist Susan Washington after seeing events of this nature occur across the country, the Stroudsburg-based council created this outdoor public art exhibition that can be experienced from the safety of one’s own automobile as a way to continue programming until everyone is able to gather again as an art community.
A map of the artist locations will be available by Wednesday, June 24 at poconoarts.org/drive to help people plan their route.
Since it was founded in 1975, the Pocono Arts Council has served as a home for the creative and an advocate for the importance of the arts in our lives. In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, all art sales from this event will be handled by the artists themselves, ensuring 100 percent of any sales benefit them at this critical time.
A registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the Pocono Arts Council is an arts service organization serving Monroe, Pike, Wayne, Lackawanna, and Luzerne counties. The mission of the council is to build the community artistically and culturally by providing leadership, service, and education. Its motto is “Culture builds community.”
Over the years, PoconoArts has originated and developed many services and programs that enrich the cultural atmosphere for artists, residents, and visitors to the Poconos. Its monthly newsletter has long been a source of information on cultural activities and opportunities. Other important services include county-wide public gallery spaces, students’ juried exhibition, annual members’ exhibition, studio classes, ArtSpace Gallery, cultural planning, arts advocacy, and technical assistance. Yearly events sponsored by the council include the Pocono State Craft Festival, Festival of Wood, Spring for the Arts, and Starving Artist Mac & Cheese Bake-Off.
Council membership has grown dramatically over the years. As the council grew, its achievements were recognized at both the national and state levels. In 1992, the council received an NEA salary support grant, which enabled it to move from volunteer and part-time status to full-time executive leadership. The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts selected PoconoArts as one of four pilot sites for its Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts program in 1997. The council currently receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
