Part of a strategy of then-Mayor Ed Rendell to breathe life into Philadelphia's Center City was to change the name of South Broad Street into Avenue of the Arts, marking an invigoration of theaters, galleries and other cultural activities in the area.

"Downtown Philadelphia had really fallen on hard times," notes Dr. Seldon Whitaker Jr., who is executive director of the Pennsylvania School Study Council, an organization that links the resources of Penn State with K-12 school districts, and originally from suburban Philadelphia. "Hotels were few and far between. But both Ed Rendell and his wife are active patrons of the arts, and that could be a factor that rekindled a spark."

Rendell was instrumental in that Philadelphia renaissance, deemed "art as urban renewal." And now, as an initiative of his administration, such action is emerging on the state level.

That's a main reason the Arts Partnership, a town and gown collaboration, is making art and community development—with a focus on rural areas—the theme of its "Arts in Education" programming during this year's July Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts.

"We're seeing a focus on the creation of cultural districts in metropolitan areas," said Dr. Melanie Doebler, Outreach program manager. "There's a lot of arts-based community action. We'd like to help rural areas do that, too."

A Commitment to Art Education
The Arts Partnership's annual events serve as a vehicle for artists, educators and community members to share ideas and perspectives. Community-based partners include the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, Central Intermediate Unit 10 and the Pennsylvania School Study Council. Penn State partners include several units within Outreach, Center for the Performing Arts, the Palmer Museum of Art, and the colleges of Education and Arts and Architecture.

"Rural areas are specific kinds of communities lacking cultural resources," said Whitaker, explaining how arts-based community action can help overall development in non-urban environs. "Yet these places have cultures, traditions and histories that haven't been appreciated or cultivated."

Doebler added, "Small towns are doing more and more arts festivals. How can we help them to do it better and think creatively?"

Programming at the annual "Arts in Education" luncheon, as well as other events, will center on this topic.

An institute will offer middle school arts teachers the opportunity to grow professionally, and a one-day, business-skills workshop helps artists learn marketing and promotional strategies.

The Arts Partnership's programming demonstrates the town/gown commitment to outreach in art education, noted Phil Walz, executive director of the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. "The Arts Partnership is an incredible incubator for new ideas, for people to try them out, and to share with one another what's going on. There's a real joy in the communication and relationship-building."

For more information, see: http://www.arts-festival.com/.