Penn College

Penn College gallery receives National Endowment for the Arts grant

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — A National Endowment for the Arts grant of $10,000 will support public programming offered by The Gallery at Penn College as part of its upcoming exhibition, “Mindful: Exploring Mental Health Through Art.”

The Challenge America grant is awarded by the NEA to support projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations — those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability.

“The Gallery at Penn College is delighted to receive the Challenge America grant from the NEA,” said Penny Griffin Lutz, gallery director. “This funding provides a unique opportunity for the gallery to reach a greater number of people in our community, as it supports public programming to accompany the exhibition. Programming will include no-cost workshops that help demonstrate how the arts can support positive mental health.”

“Mindful: Exploring Mental Health Through Art” is set to run from Aug. 16 through Oct. 11.

The exhibition, organized by the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh, explores the impact that mental illness has on society, and the role the arts can play to encourage positive self-expression and guide effective mental health promotion and treatment. Educational programming, including lectures, workshops and a curriculum guide for schools, will give visitors an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of mental health.

“It is energizing to see the impact that the arts are making throughout the United States,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “These NEA-supported projects, such as this one at Pennsylvania College of Technology, are good examples of how the arts build stronger and more vibrant communities, improve well-being, prepare our children to succeed, and increase the quality of our lives. At the National Endowment for the Arts, we believe that all people should have access to the joy, opportunities and connections the arts bring.”

In addition to the NEA grant supporting the initiative, the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania has awarded $7,640 through its Tree House Fund to Williamsport Area School District Foundation, in collaboration with Loyalsock Township School District, Muncy School District, South Williamsport Area School District, and The Gallery at Penn College. The FCFP contribution will support the school districts in engaging in the exhibition and its additional educational activities.

Dedicated to promoting art appreciation through exhibitions of contemporary art, The Gallery at Penn College serves as an educational resource for students and a cultural asset to the college and community.

For more about The Gallery at Penn College, visit gallery.pct.edu.

For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

Last Updated July 17, 2018