Pennsylvania's Breathtaking 'PA250' Student Collage is Unveiled

The event took place at the state capitol building in Harrisburg, PA, in "The most beautiful rotunda you've ever seen”, as Karl Bliska, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, so admiringly called it. Indeed, the stunning architectural masterpiece features a dome modeled on St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and a grand staircase inspired by those in the lavish Palais Garnier opera house in Paris. What better place, then, to pay tribute to the human spirit of creativity and ingenuity? 

Representatives of Pennsylvania Creative Industries, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), and the Pennsylvania Art Education Association (PAEA) indeed came together to celebrate the unveiling of an ambitious but genuinely community-driven collage, which artfully assembled works from amongst the more than 180 submissions by students across the state. While 'America 250', on a national level, seemed burdened by political division, this unprecedented project, optimistically titled ‘PA250: Many Communities One Commonwealth’, was instead about what we all share in common.

It was also, perhaps most importantly, about offering a view into the future of Pennsylvania as a state that vigorously nurtures young creative talent, and about honoring the unceasing commitment of everyone who makes it all possible.

“I’ve always believed that art has a way of bringing people together and creating opportunities for kindness,” observed Governor Josh Shapiro, a surprise guest at the event. First Lady and ardent supporter of the arts Lori Shapiro had actually conceived and spearheaded the idea, with Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Chair Susan S. Cohen referring to her as “Our own ‘whisper down the lane’ leader.”

Collaborating with the newly formed Pennsylvania Creative Industries, as well as high-profile members of the aforementioned PCA and PAEA, the project was driven by the simple but poignant prompt, “What makes your hometown, neighborhood, or personal story meaningful?” The thoughtful, wide-ranging artistic response from students merely served as a reminder that there are always so many different stories that need to be told within this historic state of more than 13 million people. 

"There is no single Pennsylvania experience,” rightly observed current PAEA President CJ Matz. “Our Commonwealth is strengthened instead by the diversity of our people and our histories." He understandably beamed with pride as he spoke of a trio of his students whose work was selected for inclusion in the final collage, emphasizing how visual arts education, “gives students the opportunity to communicate ideas and experiences that words alone cannot fully capture, and helps them to build confidence, develop empathy, and recognize that their ideas have value."

"This is a real physical example of the power of art education to bring people together,” concurred incoming PAEA President MaryJo Rosania-Harvie, “to create common bonds, and to leave us with a lasting artifact that acts as a mirror to reflect the people, places, traditions and stories of our Commonwealth."

The collage work will remain on view in the capitol building, while a digital version can be accessed here, and an online gallery of the totality of the submitted works pays witness to the true breadth of the state’s young creative talent. But most importantly 'PA250' is contextualized within a larger ongoing effort to cultivate art education and the visual arts through robust programs like Creative Catalyst and Innovation & Impact. 

Fittingly, Governor Shapiro left everyone with a hopeful goal: “We have to find more ways to come together and not see the differences, but the similarities in our Commonwealth - and this project is a very important piece of that, especially as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.”

‘PA250: Many Communities One Commonwealth’ is viewable in person at the Pennsylvania State Capitol at 501 N 3rd St, Harrisburg.