The former Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County is now Bucks Arts.
The longtime arts and cultural organization dedicated to enriching creativity since 1974, the former Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County is entering a “new chapter as BucksArts,” unveiling a fresh logo, and new look and vision to support and connect artists with audiences throughout Bucks County, the organization announced last week.
“The name reflects a desire to be more approachable and contemporary, while the strategic planning process helped us think intentionally about what that means for the organization going forward,” said Louise Levy in an email. Levy is immediate past president of the former Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County, now BucksArts, and also a photographer.
“BucksArts wants to serve established, emerging and aspiring artists, writers and performers, as well as people who simply appreciate the arts. We see an increasingly important role for BucksArts as a connector, creating opportunities for artists to be seen, heard, recognized and compensated, while bringing more people into meaningful experiences with art, words and performance,” Levy said.
The name and organizational branding change includes a new logo designed by thINK communications and a redesigned website.
“The changes are part of the organization’s strategic planning efforts to build on its work in strengthening Bucks County’s creative community,” BucksArts stated in a press release.
“We want to create new pathways to bring the arts to our community, elevate Bucks County creatives and support our growing community of artists, writers and performers,” said Clifford Eberly. Eberly is BucksArts board president and senior manager of galleries and exhibitions at Bucks County Community College.
The name is new but the organization, established in 1974 as the Bucks County Council on the Arts, is deeply rooted in communities and rich in history.
During its early years, the arts and cultural council started hosting exhibitions, creating programs and building an archive “representing more than 1,500 Bucks County artists.”
The original Bucks County Council on the Arts was the first sponsor of the Bucks County poet laureate program, founded in 1977.
The organization changed its name during the early 2000s to the Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County.
“We want to create new pathways to bring the arts to our community, elevate Bucks County creatives and support our growing community of artists, writers and performers.” – BucksArts Board President Clifford Eberly
In collaboration with Bucks County Commissioners, the council worked to convert the former Bucks County Prison into what eventually became the James A. Michener Art Museum (known widely as the Michener Art Museum), which opened in 1988.
In the early 2000s, Katharine Steele Renninger led a steering committee that re-established the organization as a countywide arts and cultural council, which was then renamed the Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County.
READ: Bucks County Poet Laureate Program Celebrates 50th Anniversary Milestone; Seeks Next Poet Laureate
Through a partnership with Freeman Hall at Salem, the Doylestown space is home to BucksArts’ First Thursday Literary Salons. These small gatherings bring writers, artists, performers and community members together throughout the year.
A special First Thursday Literary Salon will be held on September 3 to honor and commemorate the late Julie Cooper-Fratrik, a longtime Bucks County poet and past Bucks County poet laureate.
To learn more about BucksArts, upcoming programs and membership, visit here.
