Hazleton Art League displays new downtown home
May 9—HAZLETON — The Hazleton Art League welcomed the public to its new home inside the Hayden Family Center for the Arts on West Broad Street Saturday afternoon, as the city's First Friday events spilled into the weekend.
After decades on East Broad Street, the art league is settling into the renovated and rejuvenated former bank building it has occupied for a little over a year, said director Ali McKittrick.
Many people in the community may not have realized that art moved to the historic Security Savings building, she said, and more so, that a true center for the arts is active and alive in the heart of the downtown.
"Everyone is welcome here," McKittrick said.
With work on the adjacent CAN DO Community Park wrapped up, visitors were greeted with a barbecue outside, while culinary treats were being prepared inside the kitchen incubator.
In addition to tours of the building with its towering art gallery in what was once the main banking area, demonstrations such as clay building and children's crafts were offered.
A children's art room is one of the more heavily used areas, but there is also a technology and design lab for digital and graphic arts, photography and virtual reality; a pottery room, a stained glass room and a painting and drawing room full of light from large, north-facing windows.
The current board room which overlooks the gallery could soon transform into a more of a working, lounge area with sofas and other comfortable furnishings that could easily be used for receptions, McKittrick said.
The gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., when volunteers are available, McKittrick said, but people can also make appointments to visit.
A summer camp for kids is planned for this year, and a list of classes is available online at www.hazletonartleague.org. People can also call 570-455-3333 for more information.
Contact the writer: kmonitz@standardspeaker
.com; 570-501-3589
