For 55 years, the Berks Arts Council has provided arts education, cultural programming, festivals, grants, and advocacy in the Greater Reading community. Now that’s all coming to an end as the organization prepares to cease operations.
The announcement was posted on Monday with no details about what led to the decision. No timeline has been provided for the closure.
However, the decision comes at a time when arts organizations statewide are calling for more funding. Last year, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, which supports the Berks Arts Council, announced a rebranding that included reorganization of its funding criteria, making smaller organizations ineligible for grants. The council did approve a new program to fund smaller organizations following significant backlash, but their regional partnership program to help these groups apply for grants was eliminated.
Whether the decision was made based on funding is unclear, but Berks Arts Council Executive Director, Tish Davis, says the decision was “not made lightly.” After more than half a century of work, the organization hopes to have created a lasting impact that’s guided thousands of people to the arts.
The Berks Arts Council just welcomed seven new board members in October. The appointments were made with the goal of expanding reach, deepening impact, and strengthening local connections.
More recently, the Council held its fourth annual Berks Summer Fest earlier this month, taking place for the first time at GoggleWorks Center for the Arts in Reading. The event included live musical performances, children’s activities, and local arts collaborations that organizers hoped would “continue for years to come.”
The organization was also known for hosting major regional music festivals including Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest and the Reading Blues Fest.
