Skippack Event Calendar: First Friday Gallery Opening Reception - SEP 2nd 2016 | North Penn Art Alliance

Member Art Show

Mixed Media

About

As the North Penn Art Alliance celebrates its 29th anniversary in 2016, it is interesting to reflect on how the organization began and what has been accomplished during these years. 

In 1986, a handful of artists gathered together to discuss the feasibility of creating a local arts organization. They met several times and devised a mission statement that has held true for these many years. The goals of the group has always been community education and outreach, providing opportunities for artists to show and sell their work in both exhibitions and various business locations, and hosting free community art meetings for learning, networking, and exchanging of ideas. 

After receiving non-profit status, a 501(c)(3) corporation in 1987, the newly formed organization set out to find a permanent location for monthly meetings and a place to offer classes for children. Our first children's art classes were held in the Lansdale Senior Center (currently the Peak Center) in 1988 with displays of their work in the Lansdale Public Library. Monthly meetings were also held at the library. 

Our next community outreach involved the Fine Arts Series, an art related lecture offered free to the public, was held 6 times a year for 5 years at the Lansdale Library before moving to the North Penn School District's Educational Services Center. 

In 1992, our classes moved to the North Penn High School, where we could now offer adult classes on weekday evenings and added more varied children's classes on Saturdays. We continue to teach more than 300 children and 150 adults each year in conjunction with the North Penn School District's Community Education Program. 

Our outreach continued when we started teaching at Hedwig House in 1993. Hedwig House is a facility where mentally challenged adults are taught life skills. Art exploration is offered to them for two 10-week sessions a year in Lansdale, and then in Norristown after receiving a grant from the 5-County Foundation in 2005. 

Opportunities for our artist members to show their work to the public and vie for prize money began in 1990 with our first art exhibition at George Snyder's Hardware Store. We quickly outgrew that location and moved our Annual Members' Exhibition to Elm Terrace Gardens, Lansdale, in 1995. We hosted our 16th show in April, 2010. During this time, we also held exhibitions at Montgomery Mall for several Mothers Day weekends, participated in a clothesline art exhibit at Montgomery County Community College, and offered art classes to children enrolled in the after-School Program of the North Penn School District in several elementary schools. Our participation at North Wales Day, Lansdale Day, and International Day continues to bring public awareness of the North Penn Art Alliance. 

In our 29th year, we will continue to offer varying classes to children and adults hold our annual members' show at Elm Terrace Gardens, offer business locations to show and sell artwork, and host free monthly meetings that are open to the public. We took part in Lansdale’s “First Friday” programs where we display and demonstrate our art for the public. We plan to expand our shows to include both a juried show and a theme show, offer classes at the Peak Center, expand our class offerings at the North Penn High School and the Lansdale Parks & Recreation, resurrect the Fine Arts Series, and expand our community outreach to include class offerings in retirement homes, to home-schooled children, and maybe to mental health facilities. 

The North Penn Art Alliance is a vital part of the community and plans to continue outreaching as we are able. 

          Opening Reception:  September 2, 6 – 9pm (First Friday)
          Show Dates:  September 2 - 25, 2016

          Featuring:    Eva Ramanuskas
                              Gay Brunt Miller
                              Kim Newell
                              Lisa Kerr
                              Mike Morse
                              Ronda L. Garland

          For past, current, and future art exhibitions details, click here.

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