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NEW HOPE ARTS CENTER
DIGITAL PRESS KIT
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Below: Renovation Renderings, by Ralph C. Fey Architects for the New Hope Arts Center on the Corner of Bridge Street and Stockton Avenue, New Hope, PA
Below: Executive Director Carol Cruickshanks, Board Member and Architect Ralph C. Fey and Gallery Exhibition Specialist Christine Ramirez discuss details and the importance of the upcoming renovation plans.
-MEDIA ADVISORY-
For THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2022 - 10 AM
NEW HOPE MAYOR AND NEW HOPE ARTS CENTER
UNVEIL OFFICIAL RENOVATION RENDERINGS
by Ralph C. Fey Architects
and
ANNOUNCE New Capital Campaign
Who: Mayor and Chairman of the Board Laurence Keller, Architect and Board Member Ralph Fey, New Hope Arts Center’s Executive Director Carol Cruickshanks
What: The official unveiling of renovation rendering plans for the New Hope Arts Center and the $750,000 launch announcement of the upcoming capital campaign “Elevate the Arts”
When/Where: Thursday, May 12, 10:00 am – 10:30 am
New Hope Arts Center
2 Stockton Avenue
New Hope, PA 18938
Press Check-In: Thursday, May, 12 at 9:45 am
Why: To reveal renovation details to the press and public regarding the New Hope Arts Center and to announce the new Elevate the Arts campaign
More about NEW HOPE ARTS CENTER:
New Hope Arts (NHA) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to furthering New Hope's heritage as a thriving nucleus for various mediums of art and artists. NHA serves an integral role in showcasing contemporary artists' work within New Hope and Lambertville and throughout the Region. New Hope Arts supports artists by fostering opportunities, providing space to create, collaborate, and present while offering residents and visitors access to a vibrant array of visual, performing, and literary arts. NHA further provides a welcoming forum to emerging artists who would otherwise not have access to a professional exhibition setting while introducing new audiences to their work. Annually, NHA organizes up to eight significant exhibitions, including sculpture, wood, painting, photography, fine artisan crafts, and new media installations. It is individual donors, Board Members and foundations, and community members who provide the support necessary to offer such programs and events. Recognition of NHA's service to the arts includes funding from The PNC Foundation Arts Alive program, the Community and Economic Development Grant from the State of PA, and The Bucks County Visitors Bureau. With custodian and Executive Director Carol Cruickshanks in place and at the helm, all this keeps once founder Robin Larsen's vision alive, ever-evolving, and ever-elevating since her NHA conception in 2002.
Get to know New Hope Arts Center Here: NewHopeArts.org or on Facebook at: facebook.com/New-Hope-Arts-Center-160872787306885
Additional event coverage & interview opportunities are also available for scheduling before and after the press conference.
RSVP: Mandee K. Hammerstein, MK Hammerstein Creative
1.908.246.0882 Mandee@HammersteinPR.com
www.NEWHOPEARTS.org
Below: New Hope Mayor and Chairman of the Board for New Hope Arts, Laurence Keller. Contributed.
New Hope Mayor, Laurence Keller. Contributed.
Below: Vision Boards of New Hope Arts FUTURE by Architect Ralph C. Fey Architects in Doylestown, PA
Digital Slideshow of Renovation Renderings on YouTube (HERE)
Below: History Images through the years of 2 Stockton Avenue. Contributed
FACT SHEET FOR NEW HOPE ARTS CENTER
Organizational Facts:
-Established in 2002, founded by Robin Larsen as a non-profit. New Hope Arts is now celebrating its twentieth Anniversary
-A Community and Economic Development Grant was awarded to New Hope Arts Center from the State of PA, initiated by Senator Santarsiero’s office in the amount of $116,000 to fund an elevator for the building
-Carol Cruickshanks assumed Robin Larsen’s role as Executive Director role since 2011. As Executive Director, Cruickshanks manages an administrative and curatorial staff of five and volunteers with wide-ranging skills including carpentry, lighting design and catering
-The Executive Board of New Hope is currently twelve members Janina Atkins, Ralph Fey, Joseph Franlin, Ryan Fuller, Laurence D. Keller (Chairman), Elizabeth McCue, Larry Peseski, Dr. Andrew Pedinoff, Mark Pettegrow, Stephen Sands, William Scandone (President), Kathy Schroeher, Glen Stephan
-Bill Scandone has served as NHA Board President since 2018
-New Hope Arts has featured approximately 8,500 works by visual artists locally and nationally through over 150 exhibitions. Annually, featured show include Works in Wood, now in its 21st year, Sculpture in its 20th year, and a Salon Exhibition featuring the diverse talents of our 300-professional artist membership. In addition to a full calendar of 6-8 visual arts exhibitions each year
-New programming includes: Theatrical events, poetry readings, dance, live music performances, educational workshops
-Institutional partnerships with other various arts and cultural institutions, include: Artsbridge, New Hope Art League, New Hope Film Festival, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope Historical Society, Echo Lake Conference, Bucks County Community College, Riverside Symphonia, Phillips Mill Foundation, and the Pennsylvania Center for Photography, Tyler Park Center for the Arts, Actors.Net and Music Mountain Theater
Building History/Renovation/Facility Facts:
-First built along the Delaware Canal in the first quarter of the 19th century
-The original stone structure was a barn, functioning as a foundry and a station, a theater, auto repair shop and gas station, followed by a fencing studio before becoming the home of New Hope Arts
-Hope Arts purchased the building from the Scannapieco Development Corporation
-Ralph C. Fey, Board Member (since the 2002 founding) has designed the building renovations with his team of architects at Ralph C. Fey Architects, based in Doylestown, PA. After several variations and modifications the Firm and the New Hope Arts Center is now currently pursuing approvals with the Borough of New Hope
-Renovations will include: Dramatic front entranceway with signage; updated interior entranceway with an ADA restroom at lobby level, plus elevator installation, new & broadened interior staircase; rear entrance with ADA ramp, side wall replacement
-New Hope Arts is an arts campus; comprised of the featured main gallery on the 2nd floor, plus 9 additional units comprised of artist studios and a restaurant, totaling 11,220 square feet
-Construction renovations official to take place starting January 20 and will remain closed for construction for 4 months
-Grand re-opening/future ribbon-cutting is planned for spring 2023
-The elevator installation is included in the renovation plan, made possible by a Community and Economic Development grant from the State of Pennsylvania
Elevate the Arts Campaign Facts:
-Total funds goal to be raised for the Elevate the Arts campaign is $750,000
-The first phase of the Elevate the Arts Campaign first phase was launched privately at the start of the 20th anniversary in January, 2022
-During the private phase for the Elevate the Arts Campaign, collectively, members of the Executive Board have received $173,000 in pledges
-Other campaign initiatives and incentives include a fundraising Gala on May 24th at Hotel Du Village, digital and social media campaigning, ambassador initiatives, a new video series, and a donor recognition program
Below: New Hope Arts Center Logo and New Hope Arts Center Capital Campaign Logo “Elevate the Arts”
Below: Executive Director, Carol Cruickshanks (Contributed)
Executive Director, Carol Cruickshanks
Since 2011 Carol has served as executive director of New Hope Arts, a non-profit organization located in New Hope, PA. New Hope Arts’ mission is to present the work of contemporary artists and to engage and enrich the local community through a broad array of programming in the visual, performance and literary arts in Bucks County and the Delaware Valley region. Over the last three years she has developed outreach initiatives, collaborative projects with other non-profits and secured grant funding for the Outdoor Sculpture Project. For 20 years Carol was a faculty member in art history for The College of New Jersey School of Art, Media and Music. She was also Art Specialist with Rago Auctions in Lambertville from 1996-2013. Her non–profit volunteer projects included serving on the Board of the Trenton City Museum, Ellarslie and scholarship chair for the Lambertville –New Hope Chamber of Commerce.
Below: Ralph C. Fey, Architect & New Hope Art Center Board Member (Contributed)
Ralph C. Fey:
Educated in Europe he went on to receive a degree from Syracuse School of Architecture. Ralph was recruited by The Hillier Group of Princeton, NJ to bridge the disciplines of architecture & interior design. Ralph rose to Director of Design for the 35-person interior design studio. Ralph led the studio and was personally responsible for a wide range of design challenges, including corporate, hospitality, residential, renovation and adaptive reuse projects.
In 1994, Ralph changed professional direction to be Director of Design and Facility Planning for QVC, West Chester, PA. In addition to maintaining a portfolio of properties, Ralph spearheaded the development of new corporate headquarters and television studios for the cutting edge electronic retailer. This 60 million dollar project brought under one roof all aspects of the process including studio, offices, design and distribution.
Determined to apply his talents on a more intimate scale. “Ralph Curtis Fey, A.I.A. Architects” was founded in 1996. Based in Bucks County the firm is dedicated to quality, “Hands on Design” and customer service. Ralph’s work embraces the nature of place, celebrates the regions heritage, reflects the local vernacular and emphasizes the importance of context. Each project is site-specific reflecting the unique elements of nature and terrain, interrelating each project to the landscape with a range of stylistic vocabularies that are committed to a synthesis of tradition and innovation. Other Ralph C. Fey projects specifically in the New Hope Borough include:
-The Logan Inn
-Stella + Ghost Light inn
-Ferry Market
- Bucks County Playhouse: The Deck
- Odlestone (Marsha Brown) Entry
- Mansion Inn
- New Hope Arts
-Nektar
-Angel Hearts
-Savioni Designer Boutique
-Green House New Hope
-31 Main
More at: https://www.rcfarchitects.com/about/
Below: Cell snapshots of the New Hope Arts Press Conference on May 12th, 10am.
ABOVE: IN ATTENDANCE for TUESDAY, MAY 12 Press Conference at 10 AM:
Bucks County Commissioner Robert Harvie, Senator Santarsiero’s Chief of Staff Rosemary Wuenschel, New Hope Mayor Laurence Keller, Architect Ralph C. Fey, New Hope Arts Executive Director Carol Cruickshanks and New Hope Officials
Statement of Event:
In the Borough of New Hope on Thursday, May 12th at 10 AM,, the New Hope Arts Center, Government Officials, and Board members of the organization gathered to officially unveil long-awaited renovation rendering plans by architect Ralph C. Fey. The nonprofit facility further announced the institution’s $750,000 capital campaign launch, “Elevate the Arts.” This renovation project will make the Center ADA compliant, where they will be able to apply for new grants they otherwise would not qualify for, and the new campaign will aid in expanded programming and more; details at NewHopeArts.org
Photo resource: Hotel Du Village website