As they navigate an increasingly digital world — and weather a pandemic — Pennsylvania's libraries have adapted, giving their patrons the tools and the space to thrive. From game nights to public art to high-tech tools, they're ready for a new era.
For years, factories and mills anchored PA communities large and small. The question of what to do with these beautiful, historic buildings is an essential one, and there is no single answer. In Johnstown, metalwork has returned to a shuttered steel facility, while in the Poconos, a new generation of residents are setting up laptops and sipping lattes in an old silk mill.
From movie trailers, to blockbuster video games, to national TV spots, the music created by this Bucks County shop is part of our cultural fabric. We spoke with the founder about making the decision to return to PA and how the company is making their work accessible to all creators, no matter how small.
The pandemic offered the inspiration for Spring Creek Picnics, which provides swanky, comfortable setups for outdoor socializing. No clean up required.
The economics didn't work for the private sector, but the value of renovating this historic structure in the heart of the borough goes far beyond the spreadsheet. A coalition of local partners and an army of volunteers are getting it done, one brick at a time.
Communities across the state are using food production and food culture to connect people to their shared humanity. From an urban agriculture/arts mashup in Philadelphia, to a video series spotlighting traditional dishes in Central PA, to a bucolic theater venue on the Delaware River, Pennsylvanians are cooking up change.
A group of artists has transformed an organic farm in the Northeast corner of Pennsylvania into a community hub and performance space, welcoming visitors for workshops, live theater, and lessons about climate change.
Two innovative companies emerged victorious from the pitch competition, earning an infusion of cash to build their businesses. The winners represent very different sectors, demonstrating the dynamicism of the region's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Arts are a driver of growth and vitality — that's the argument being made by economic development and local government leaders across the state. In a lively conversation, we heard from two such folks, one from Corry and one from York, about how their communities support, fund, and catalyze the creative sector, and how that work is paying unexpected dividends.
In the first episode of our new podcast, we’re heading to a small town across the river from Pittsburgh that is home to a spectacular set of church murals. Tackling themes such as social justice, poverty, and immigration, these stunning works of art, which are almost 100 years old, have a surprising amount of resonance in today’s world — and are playing an important role in Millvale’s renaissance.