Art

Despite the cancellation of in-person performances — or in-person anything — at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, virtual performances from favorite Arts Fest musicians can be found online through Sunday.

The schedule includes 12 local musical acts dispersed throughout the days.

This year’s format was successfully modified, but it wasn’t easy.

“Figuring out how to handle the music was one of the more difficult problems we faced,” said Rick Bryant, Arts Fest executive director, “just because of the technology involved and the skill set of the festival staff, and not working with the people we normally work with.”

On any given year, there could be up to 50 musical performers scheduled all throughout downtown State College, from the sensational Allen Street stage to mandolinists busking on the sidewalks. This year, there are far less performers, but a great deal of time and effort has gone into producing what is expected to be a series of 90-minute shows.

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STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is virtual this year. Visitors won’t be able to walk around to enjoy the atmosphere, and the artists won’t be able to interact with their customers.

The festival typically brings about 300 artists out to the sidewalks of State College to sell their work. But this year’s virtual festival has 157.

“One of the biggest downsides is not being able to interact face to face with the customers. I really enjoy getting to meet my customers and talking to them,” jewelry artist, Carol Korte said.

“Online art sales are very hard to do with any consistency. It’s better if you can stand in a booth at the art show on the street and people can see and you can talk to them,” photographer, Andy Dierks says.

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The annual Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts released its promotional poster for this year’s virtual event on Tuesday.

The poster was designed by longtime Festival poster designer and Penn State professor emeritus of graphic design Larry Sommese and his daughter Saige, a 2018 Penn State graduate. Also, the poster is sponsored by Penn State Health.

Instead of the typical images found in past poster such as references to art, theatre, and music, this year’s poster depicts a sunrise over Happy Valley to symbolize hope for better days in the future.

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