Local gallery to be honored for its promotion of art in the community.
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
Two years ago, an old shoe warehouse stood on Mill Street in Bristol. After being bought and completely renovated by the nonprofit civic group Bristol Borough Raising the Bar, the quaint, yet revitalizing, Centre for the Arts was formed. On May 18, the gallery will be honored as Member of the Year by the Arts and Cultural Council of Bucks County.
The Centre for the Arts opened its doors in June 2015 after the refurbishment, and today holds the work of 18 local “resident” artists in its gallery. The Centre is free and open to the public, and is staffed solely by volunteers. On April 24, volunteer Jan Ruano was found enjoying the peace and serenity of the space, waiting to share the uniqueness of the works of art with visitors. Each artist displayed in the Centre, including Ruano, has their own wall space dedicated to their pieces.
The back of the Centre holds the Arts Room, which features the main exhibit. The “Bloom” exhibit currently is on display, showing various floral and nature pieces. According to Ruano, the exhibits change for the seasons and holidays, and visitors can expect fun, Christmas-themed pieces in the winter.
Since 2015, the Centre for the Arts has attracted more than 2,000 visitors. In a small town, support for the achievements of locals is very strong, and the Centre prides itself on giving Bucks artists an opportunity to showcase their work. Eight “call for artists” exhibits are displayed each year, during which artists can hang two pieces for about a month and keep 95 percent of their sales.
“The CFA has become a leader in the arts in Lower Bucks through their events highlighting renowned local artists while cultivating a strong interest and passion for the arts throughout the community with their themed ‘all call’ exhibitions,” said council president, James Sell. “The Centre for the Arts has made a significant contribution here, and we are proud to honor them for their achievements.”
The Centre for the Arts aligns perfectly with the mission of the Arts and Cultural Council, which is to foster, strengthen and promote the diverse arts and culture of Bucks County. It has contributed a sense of local pride to the community and gets everyone from established artists to students involved in the creative process.
“Bristol Borough’s Centre for the Arts has enjoyed a highly productive and successful relationship with the Arts and Cultural Council of Bucks County. From the enjoyable ‘Bristol Stroll’ program to our sponsorship of the 2016 ‘Emergence’ exhibit of high school artists’ work, our joint promotions have advanced an appreciation of the arts in Lower Bucks County,” said William Pezza, president of Centre for the Arts. “We look forward to an expanded relationship in the years to come.”
The Member of the Year award will be presented to the Centre for the Arts at the Arts and Cultural Council’s annual members’ reception on May 18 at Gronendahl Farm in Doylestown from 5–7:30 p.m. The reception is part of the Council’s “Celebration of the Arts” weekend, which will be hosted at the farm, May 18–21. For more information, visit bucksarts.org. ••
