Young at Art Returns with Demonstrations, Scholarships

February 7, 2023

The Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance announces the 5th annual Young at Art expo of creative learning. Young at Art is a celebration of the Lehigh Valley’s many arts education programs for children, teens and families. The event takes place on Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Penn State Lehigh Valley. Admission is free and open to the public.

Young at Art is a one-stop shop for families to connect with creative experiences and arts programming in the Lehigh Valley. Children and teens will find inspiration by trying out new forms of creative expression and witnessing performances by their peers. Parents and caregivers can meet creative education providers and gather information about summer camps, classes and lessons. This year, four $100 scholarships funded by LVACA will be awarded to randomly-selected Young at Art attendees. The scholarships can be used towards programs offered by any of the presenting organizations. 

The event features more than 20 exhibitors offering demonstrations, hands-on activities and performances. Young at Art represents a range of creative disciplines including visual arts, music, dance, theater, martial arts and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) education. Young at Art exhibitors for 2023 include The Baum School of Art, Da Vinci Science Center, Community Music School, Puertorrican Culture Preservation Association, Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, National Museum of Industrial History, ArtsQuest, Lehigh Valley Martial Arts and many more. 

The Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance has prioritized accessibility for all at the event. Young at Art is held at a venue fully accessible to individuals with mobility access needs. American Sign Language interpreters will be working throughout the event to provide ASL interpretation for announcements and performances. A sensory room with calm, quiet activities is available for attendees who need a break from the action. 

Young at Art is supported in part by the Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation and the Harry C. Trexler Trust. For more information about the event, including a full list of exhibitors and opportunities to advertise or volunteer at the event, visit www.lvaca.org/young-at-art or email YoungAtArt@lvaca.org

The Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance is a nonprofit organization formed by a 2022 merger of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council and the Cultural Coalition of Allentown. LVACA carries forth the legacy of both organizations by serving the array of artists and arts organizations integral to the cultural life and vitality of our community. 

Two Lehigh Valley Arts and Culture Organizations Form the Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance

The Lehigh Valley Arts Council (LVAC) and Cultural Coalition of Allentown (CCA) are excited to announce the formation of the Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance (LVACA) to advocate, support, and build capacity for arts, culture, and the creative economy throughout the Lehigh Valley for all in the region.

David Mickenberg, Chairman of the Lehigh Valley Arts & Culture Alliance said in announcing the formation of LVACA, “Both organizations [LVAC and CCA] have experience in supporting the artists, arts organizations, and cultural heritage throughout our community. Our goal for the new organization is to further support our creative and cultural workers in the valley by fostering accessibility, diversity, programmatic excellence, and the integration of the arts, culture, and creative economy into all facets of life in our community.  

The strategic focus for LVACA will be to build upon the successes of the previous organizations and build a sustainable, agile, and responsive organization to meet the needs of the dynamic arts and cultural community in the Lehigh Valley.  

Building upon both organizations’ remarkable legacies, there are five main areas of focus for LVACA including; Capacity Building for artists, arts, and culture organizations, Ensuring Accessibility to the arts for people of all abilities and identities, Collective Advocacy and Marketing for artists, arts, and cultural organizations, Data Development and Research supporting the arts, culture, and creative economy, and Continuous Learning opportunities for cultural workers.

The familiar programs of LVAC and CCA will continue uninterrupted as Arts & Access Always, ARTix, and Young at Art. Additionally, the popular Arts Membership Program will continue to provide benefits to the Lehigh Valley arts and culture community as well as the individuals, organizations, and families that participate in them. 

Meanwhile, an Allentown Arts Subcommittee will continue the local efforts in the City of Allentown to serve as pilot programs as part of the Neighborhood Partnership Program in Center City Allentown, serving youth development and the creative economy to potentially extend across the Lehigh Valley. 

The LVACA Board of Directors is led by Mickenberg, Ann Lalik, Todd Watkins, Dan Kainz, and joined by Board Members Ellen Baker Ghelardi, Liz Kempner, Gina Kormanik, Steven LaPierre, Elizabeth Massa, Tanya Tyler and Pete Waldron.

The new LVACA team includes Sean King as Managing Director, Deb Rabinsky as Director of Artistic Operations, Jacqui Schwartz, Arts & Always Access Program Administrator, Meg Mikovits Data Research Study Coordinator and Sharon Smith as Administration Manager.

Support for the LVACA is provided in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, PA Council on the Arts, The Harry C. Trexler Trust, Dexter F. and Dorothy H. Baker Foundation, The Hommer Foundation, The Century Fund, the CORE of Allentown Neighborhood Partnership Program, Lehigh County and a community of over 200 individuals and arts organizations throughout the Lehigh Valley.

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