Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region
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Crafwford
Theaters and Art Galleries are scattered all over Crawford County. In Meadville, the ACADEMY THEATRE, built in 1885, originally operated as an opera house. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places and offers live theatre performances, movies and special events. M.J. ERVIN STUDIO/GALLERY features fine art originals and prints. The artist can be found in residence and will be glad to answer any of your questions while demonstrating the creative process of impressionistic oils on canvas. MEADVILLE FINE ART PRINTS specializes in reproducing giclče prints for local artists and photographers. The shop will create signs & banners, laminate or mount a fine art print and even restore old & damaged photos. THE MEADVILLE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS (MFAC) hosts open receptions with refreshments to promote each new monthly exhibit. Receptions feature musical entertainment in the Gardner Theatre and there is no charge to attend the reception or to view the ever changing exhibits. The MFAC also offers art classes to learn basic watercolor techniques.
Take a drive over to Cambridge Springs and visit CAMPBELL POTTERY STORE & GALLERY. Inside this landmark showplace, imagination abounds, with delights around every corner. There is an extensive selection of porcelain pottery by Bill Campbell - along with art glass, fine wood, metal, jewelry and clay works of other artists. Enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee or tea and relax to music, as you browse our three floors of exceptional creations for home, garden and personal adornment. Also in Cambridge Springs, THE RIVERSIDE INN is a quaint place to stay and has a dinner theater with shows changing monthly.
Erie
The ERIE ART MUSEUM offers exquisite exhibits ranging from ceramics to woodblock prints, a frame shop and art classes on digital photography, ceramics, drawing, jewelry making and pottery. The Erie Art Museum is sure to please the whole family. The Art Museum is currently undergoing a $6 million renovation which will include four new major galleries, a number of smaller galleries, a 250-person performance space, a public meeting space at a new unified entrance and other visitor amenities. The Art Museum remains open and renovations are scheduled to be completed by October 2009.
For an evening out, go see a performance at the ERIE PLAYHOUSE. Recognized as one of the 10 best community theatres in national competition, it remains at the forefront of the arts not only in Northwest Pennsylvania, but the entire state. Another option is the LAKE ERIE BALLET, who for the past sixty years has brought professional quality dance education and performances to Erie and surrounding communities. Each year the school performs The Nutcracker, a holiday classic.
Visit the WARNER THEATRE with its famous design and timeless elegance. It is a cherished regional landmark. With seating for 2250, it serves as a venue for traditional and contemporary concerts, seminars, Broadway shows and the Erie Philharmonic.
Located on Peach Street, THE STATION DINNER THEATRE performs different shows each month. Patrons can choose dessert & show, three course meal & show or season tickets (9 shows). With so many options you can't go wrong.
Mercer & Venango
Throughout the year GROVE CITY COLLEGE, PENN STATE SHENANGO, & THIEL COLLEGE, in Mercer County offer diverse cultural events. The Greenville Symphony orchestra performs several times a year at Thiel College's Passavant Center and numerous well-known performers are regularly presented at all three colleges.
During the summer months, music abounds in Mercer County with outdoor concerts at Buhl Park (a 300 acre Park), Central Park in Greenville and the well-known concerts on the Courthouse Square in Mercer. Arts shows in Mercer County include the HERMITAGE ARTS FESTIVAL; ARTIE GRAS ARTIST BAZAAR on Thursdays during the summer at Quaker, Steak & Lube and the annual nature art show at MCKEEVER ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER.
Mercer County's newest addition to the arts is located at L.P. BRUNO FINE JEWELERS. At their new site which overlooks a romantic and scenic waterfall, is an art studio and ironmasters gallery housed in the original 1840's era ironmaster's home.
If an incredible collection of music machines spanning two centuries sparks your interest, be sure to visit DEBENCE ANTIQUE MUSIC WORLD. Nickelodeons pound out the tunes of Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan and John Philip Sousa. Intricate, beautifully-tuned music boxes, created by nineteenth-century German and Swiss craftsmen, tinkle enchantingly in the same manner as they did one hundred years ago. Merry-go-round band organs roar to life with explosions of melody.
From house to movie theatre to performing arts center, historic BARROW CIVIC THEATRE seats 497 in the beautifully restored auditorium. The theatre performs classics like To Kill A Mockingbird, Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Handel's Messiah & A Christmas Carol as well as musical entertainers throughout the year.
Journey to Oil City to the NATIONAL TRANSIT BUILDING home of the TRANSIT FINE ARTS GALLERY. Here you can view and purchase exceptional works of art by talented local artists, i.e. paintings, jewelry, cards, glassware and more. Upstairs on the second floor you will find the various art galleries and studios of artists that have relocated here as part of the Artist Relocation and Arts Revitalization project by ARTS OIL CITY. Be sure to attend one of the many outstanding concerts held throughout the year in various locations sponsored by the OIL CITY ARTS COUNCIL established in 1993 as an entity of the City of Oil City government. The Council provides cultural programming to the region with the support of both the public and private sectors.
