Arts & Culture CSP: 

Focus on the Arts

CHAIRMAN

Shelly Smolnery
msmolnery@yahoo.com

Writing Chairman:    Cheryl Brooks
cherylbrooks49@yahoo.com

Photography Chairman:  Shelly Smolnery

msmolnery@yahoo.com

District Craft Chairman/Advisor:  Patty Raydo
paraydo2@aol.com

Affiliates

American Mural Project 
VSA Arts

DISTRICT CHAIRMAN

Northwestern: Marianne Heck m_heck@neo.rr.com

Northeastern: Pat Motyka
pretzelpat1@msn.com

North Central: Lillian Marquez lillshouse567@gmail.com

Jana Sidler

South Central: Emily Schwartz e.schwartz14@verizon.net

Southeastern: Bridget Petraukas
Bridgit_nunan@yahoo.com

June Prutzman japrutz@gmail.com

Southwestern: Dott Hoffman tolebrush@aol.com

Arts & Culture CSP:

Focus on the Arts

The Arts Community Service Program is divided into two areas of specialization collaboration and Partnership.

  • The Collaboration area focuses on club projects that are inspired, developed and implemented independent of any partnership with and outside organization. An example would be the crafts contest throughout the state. In short any project that is done locally to enhance the Arts falls into this catagory.

  • Partnerships are programs and projects that a club carries out on behalf ot the national or international level organizations with which GFWC has a formal relationship or partnership. An example would be the photography contests where the rules and guidelines are set forth by GFWC.

Please Note: Each district may have additional contests in addition to the GFWC Pennsylvania sponsored contests. Any questions regarding district contests should be directed to your District Arts Chairman.

Suggested Project Ideas

Be inspired by this list of ideas of how GFWC clubs can support the Arts and Culture Community Service Program. 

  • Make homemade holiday cards for nursing home residents or Meals on Wheels recipients. 
  • Hold a recycled art contest for art projects made using recycled materials. 
  • Work with your Chamber of Commerce and/or Tourist Commission to create a map of your community with pictures/drawings and descriptions of historic sites, monuments, and points of interest. Print it and distribute to your Chamber of Commerce, tourist center, library, town hall, and other prime locations. Include club contact information. Create an “Our Town is Great” map of your community with pictures/ drawings and descriptions of historic sites, monuments, and points of interest. Print it and distribute to your Chamber of Commerce, library, town hall, and other prime locations. Include club contact information. 
  • Host an art supply drive within your club. Contact local schools, daycare centers, and/or community centers to see what is needed. 
  • Be crafty – make homemade gifts for birthdays, Christmas, or other occasions. 
  • Be creative – design and decorate a garden. 
  • Help build, paint, and decorate a Little Free Library. 
  • Provide artwork and help decorate a reading nook at the library, a local laundromat, or other location in your community. 
  • Donate books with an art theme to the public library, a school library, or a Little Free Library. 
  • Donate seasonal and holiday-themed coloring sheets for children at schools and libraries. 
  • Donate art books, sketch books, coloring books, crayons, and other art supplies to hospitals, doctor/clinic waiting rooms, and shelters. 
  • Hold a “Chalk the Walk” contest for elementary school children on sidewalks in front of a municipal building library, elementary school, or other public venue. Choose a theme and have your club supply the chalk and ribbons for the winners.
  • “Hire” student jazz combos, string quartets, or even the whole band to perform at club events. 
  • Hold a fundraiser to purchase a large piece of equipment for your local schools’ art, music, or drama departments, such as a potter’s wheel, kiln, microphones, or technology. 
  • Work with local Girl Scouts or Juniorette clubs to foster a safe Halloween by offering free face painting to children before they trick or treat. 
  • Attend public art displays, plays, and concerts as part of a social event for your club. 
  • Visit or hold a club meeting at an art gallery, museum, local cultural center, or tourist center. 
  • Explore museums online with Google Arts and Culture or visit Art Galleries and Art Museums through their websites for virtual gallery tours.  
  • Develop an art scavenger hunt at a local or online museum for your members or students. Select items for participants to find and snap photos (if allowed) or document the location in a notebook. Discuss the art pieces after the hunt. 
  • Organize a weekly or monthly market in your community for local artists and crafters to display and sell their work. 
  • Use member art or children’s art for club cookbook covers, greeting cards, program covers, etc. 
  • Hold a holiday centerpiece/wreath-making workshop at a local florist as a club program. 
  • Decorate a city park or municipal plaza for holidays and/or the seasons.
  • Sponsor ads in local theatre or school theatre playbills.
  • Sponsor an author visit to your local library
  • Establish scholarships for students studying the arts such as literature, drama, or music. This could be to attend an arts school or summer camp. 
  • Establish awards that acknowledge the artistic achievements of club and community members. 
  • “Love the Police, Bus Drivers, Firefighters, or Veterans” – Assist local elementary students in making Valentine cards for town police, bus drivers, firefighters, and veterans. 
  • Include a category in Art Contests that is specific to special needs children. Many times, these students never receive recognition for their creativity.
  • Establish and support artist-in-residence programs and artist speakers. 
  • Feature art created by children with disabilities during Special Olympics. 
  • Establish and support artist-in-residence programs and artist speakers.
  • Establish and/or facilitate an art therapy program at a local nursing home or assisted living facility.
  • Volunteer at your local schools to assist with or establish an art program for students.

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on”

 Albert Einstein

Join a Club Near You

Reach out to our membership chairman for help finding a club near you.

For general inquiries, contact Headquarters below or the Chairman of a specific program or advancement area.

GFWC Pennsylvania Headquarters

1301 Allegheny Street, Suite 119
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648

T: 814-317-6489
info@gfwcpennsylvania.org

Membership Chairman

Tracy Mueller

tmuellergfwc@gmail.com

 

GFWC Headquarters

1734 N Street, NW
Washington, DC  20036

T:  202-347-3168
F:  202-835-0246
www.gfwc.org