Abington Art Center facts for kids
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| Established | 1939 |
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| Location | Jenkintown, PA |
| Type | Art center |
The Abington Art Center is a special place for art located in Abington Township, Pennsylvania. This area is a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center was built in 1939. It is found inside a large building called Alverthorpe Manor, which sits on 27 acres of land. This land used to be the home of Lessing J. Rosenwald and his family.
The Abington Art Center has many cool features. It has a studio school where you can learn art. There's also an innovation center and galleries to see art shows. Outside, you can explore a fun sculpture park. The building itself is quite old and even has three vintage elevators from the 1930s!
Contents
How the Art Center Started
From Guild to Art Center
The Abington Art Center began in 1965. It was first called the Old York Road Art Guild. A group of women started it. They believed that art could make individual lives and communities better. They thought creative art was very important.
The guild's teaching parts soon became a separate group. This new group was called the Abington Art Center. It was a non-profit organization. This means it uses its money to help the community, not to make a profit.
A Special Gift
On Christmas Day in 1969, something wonderful happened. Lessing J. Rosenwald and his wife, Edith, gave their home, Alverthorpe Manor, to the Abington community. Mr. Rosenwald was a collector of rare books and prints. They wanted the community to use their estate for cultural and fun activities.
Soon after this gift, the organization hired its first paid director. The Old York Road Art Guild then officially ended. The Abington Art Center was ready to grow!
Growing and Changing
More Space for Art
In 1981, the art center got even bigger. The Rosenwald Collection, which was a large art collection, moved to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. This meant the old gallery wing of Alverthorpe Manor became available.
The art center moved into this space. This change doubled the amount of room for art classes. It also meant twice as many students could learn art there.
New Features and Renovations
A sculpture garden opened in 1990. This garden showed amazing art pieces outdoors. In 1996, the art center expanded even more inside the building. They started a five-year project to update Alverthorpe Manor. The goal was to change it from a private home into a public art space.
Today, the center has a main gallery for exhibitions. It also has six studios and many classrooms for teaching. The sculpture park is still a big part of the center. They also hold outdoor events throughout the year.
Art Shows and Community Fun
The Sculpture Park
The Sculpture Park is a large area of 27 acres. It has lawns and woodlands. Many famous artists have shown their work there. Some of these artists include Joy Episalla, Robert Lawrance Lobe, and Steven Siegel. Their sculptures make the park a unique place to visit.
Connecting with the Community
In 2003, the Abington Art Center made a plan. They wanted to turn the Alverthorpe Manor property into a "cultural campus." This campus would be a place for art and culture in the community.
Leora Brecher, a sculptor, taught ceramics at the center for 18 years. She said the Abington Art Center is special. She noted that it has a studio school, a sculpture garden, and also reaches out to the community. Other art places might focus more on teaching. The Abington Art Center does both.
The center also hosts an annual art show called "Touch the Future." This show features amazing artwork by young artists from the area. It's a great way to see new talent!
How the Art Center is Supported
The Abington Art Center is a small non-profit organization. It gets its money from different sources. A big part comes from classes and workshops. They also rent out their facilities for events like weddings. Other support comes from foundations, membership fees, and government help. They also earn money from their gift shop and special fund-raising events. All this support helps the center keep offering great art programs to the community.
