Bethlehem, PA, Dec. 5. 2023 — ArtsQuest is excited to announce that it has been awarded a grant in the amount of $82,500 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for the 2023-2024 Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), specifically in the Special Program Priorities (SPP) component. Participation by Boyle Construction, Univest Bank and C.F. Martin & Co. played a pivotal role in making this funding possible.

The goals of the NAP are to promote community participation and collaborations among residents, nonprofits and businesses while producing outcomes by assisting a distressed area or the low-income population in a neighborhood.

With the help of this grant, ArtsQuest will provide accommodations for 900 participants with physical, sensory, intellectual and/or mental impairments throughout the program year to increase participation in the arts for all. By offering performance opportunities for historically disadvantaged artists and arts groups, ArtsQuest will engage 5,000 community members from diverse backgrounds in educational arts and cultural events throughout the year. Equitable access to ArtsQuest’s programs and facilities will strengthen community connections to the arts through exhibitions, programs and events.

“The goal of the Neighborhood Assistance Program is to improve the quality of life for every Pennsylvanian by improving our communities, especially for those who face challenges in daily life,” said DCED Deputy Secretary Community Affairs and Development Rick Vilello. “We congratulate ArtsQuest on the award, and on its work to enrich the lives of our residents with challenges or impairments by opening the world of arts and culture to them.”

“ArtsQuest is honored to have been selected as a recipient of the Neighborhood Assistance Program grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development,” said Kassie Hilgert, President and CEO of ArtsQuest. “We are also especially grateful for our partnerships with Boyle Construction, Univest Bank and C.F. Martin & Co. who helped to make this gift possible. Mission-minded, we will continue expanding and furthering our outreach into communities across the eastern portion of our Commonwealth, making our art-based programming available to every individual, regardless of the challenges or hardships they may face. We’re proud of the work we do and remain focused on an exciting future in making the arts accessible to all.”

 

About ArtsQuest 

ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, of which over 50% are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.

 

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Jennifer LoConte
Director of Communications
ArtsQuest
http://www.artsquest.org/

 

---