CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — “Art broadens our horizons, gives us an outlet for self-expression, and creates strong, vibrant communities,” said Tina Q. Richardson, chancellor of Penn State Lehigh Valley. “It adds a different dimension to our campus as we engage our community in artists’ talks, thought-provoking exhibits, and other programming in our own Ronald K. DeLong Gallery.”
Thanks to a recent Partners in the Arts grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the gallery’s diverse slate of programming will continue for another year. PSU-LV is a repeat recipient of this award.
The $3,000 award runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 and will be used for overall programming within the DeLong Gallery. A portion of the award is supporting the current exhibit, "Fluidity of Gender" by Linda Stein.
“It’s an honor to receive state funding for the arts,” said Ann Lalik, gallery coordinator and arts director at PSU-LV. “It’s very helpful — it gives us some latitude to be creative. These funds can be leveraged to bring important and interesting artists to our area.”
Lalik said most people not directly involved in gallery operations would find the costs of transporting artwork, arranging it for exhibits, and other related expenses truly staggering. Fortunately, the DeLong Gallery continues to receive the funding required to bring prestigious works from world-renowned artists to the PSU-LV community and most especially, its students.
Lalik said she is also appreciative of PCA’s recognition of smaller galleries that have big impacts on their respective communities. “The funding is distributed through the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation and this partnership is also important,” said Lalik. “We greatly appreciate the state support of smaller organizations like the DeLong Gallery through regional distribution. We could get lost in the bigger picture.”