Programs

At the Banana Factory, shaping wet clay, spinning molten glass and creating works of art on the computer are having a major impact in the classroom for area students each year.

Through a variety of unique arts offerings, ArtsQuest is sharing the visual arts with young people throughout the region. Each year, ArtsQuest partners with more than 60 schools throughout the greater Lehigh Valley region to provide arts programming for youth.

Below you'll find a list of some of ArtsQuest's outreach programs. If you'd like more information on any or all of the programs, feel free to send us an email at info@fest.org or call 610-332-1300!

Use the links below to jump to a section:

B-Smart
BananaWORKS
The Photo Documentary Project
unseenamerica

B-Smart

The Banana Factory’s B-Smart after-school enrichment program, a partnership between ArtsQuest and the Bethlehem Area School District, provides young people from Bethlehem middle schools with a fun, creative learning environment that enhances the educational curriculum. The program mirrors the school district’s calendar year, with 10-week sessions in fall and winter/spring and a six-week summer camp.

The B-Smart program, which features instruction in glass blowing, painting, photography, graphic design and other visual arts, is geared toward at-risk youth who may not be traditional learners. The visual and tactile senses involved in the arts transform academically challenged students and offer an environment in which to succeed; small class sizes ensure quality instruction and personalized attention.

All B-Smart classes stress teamwork and the creation of projects from start to finish. The skills that students learn offer them a new and constructive way to problem solve and open up a world of possibilities in their personal lives. Whether it’s the filming of a video, or a group working together to create a mosaic mural, participants discover skills that prove integral to career development, academic achievement and personal growth.

B-Smart’s Impact

Blind sampling of B-Smart students has consistently shown that the program has a positive impact on the learning environment. The most recent B-Smart assessment revealed:

41% - Made honor roll
73% - Attained higher grades or maintained above average grades
16% - Had fewer absences
35% - Showed a decrease in tardiness

Support of B-Smart

B-Smart is supported in part by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The program, which is a qualified program under the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, is also made possible through donations from corporations and private donors.

Although ArtsQuest receives funding for this educational initiative, the program is always in need of additional support. Any individual or business interested in supporting B-Smart and making a difference in young people’s lives is invited to contact:

Kassie Hilgert
ArtsQuest Vice President of Advancement
khilgert@fest.org
610-332-1348

Brenda Pisani
Director of Corporate Relations
bpisani@fest.org
610-332-1339

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BananaWORKS

In this unique community outreach program, 6-8 inner city teens are paired with a Banana Factory artist to create a beautiful piece of public art.

In BananaWORKS, the arts serve as a catalyst for helping young people prepare for the working world. Students apply for the program and are hired by Team Pennsylvania CareerLink Lehigh Valley. They are responsible for designing, creating and completing the work of art, and they also learn how to build a résumé, attend a job interview and are required to show up for work on time, just like a regular job.

Partnering on creative projects teaches the teens the significance of strong teamwork, job responsibilities and collaboration, while creating artwork cultivates good work habits. Taking responsibility and ownership of the project promotes a strong work ethic and sense of respect, therefore helping to boost self-esteem. With a professional artist serving as a mentor, these young workers learn how to channel their energy using the power of creative expression!

Since its inception, BananaWORKS has had a major impact on young people’s lives. More than 200 students have participated in the program, resulting in more than two dozen works of art for the community to enjoy.

Support BananaWORKS

BananaWORKS projects are made possible by support from corporations, grants and private donors. Team Pennsylvania CareerLink pays students’ salaries and workmen’s compensation insurance; however, funds are needed for art instructors, assistants and art materials for each project. Any individual or business that is interested in funding a project and supporting educational initiatives for area youth is invited to contact:

Kassie Hilgert
ArtsQuest Vice President of Advancement
khilgert@fest.org
610-332-1348

Brenda Pisani
Director of Corporate Relations
bpisani@fest.org
610-332-1339

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The Photo Documentary Project

ArtsQuest’s newest educational initiative, the Photo Documentary Project is an innovative, high-tech job skills program that helps build a brighter future through the art of photography.

Through classroom instruction and in-the-field experience, unemployed and economically disadvantaged adults ages 18-24 learn digital imaging, desktop publishing and photojournalism. The program begins with participants attending class in the Banana Factory’s Olympus Digital Imaging Center, where they learn how to operate cameras and lenses donated by Olympus Imaging America Inc. Students then go on working assignments throughout the Lehigh Valley. In 2009, the first year for the program, one dozen adults spent the first nine days of August photographing Musikfest, one of the nation’s largest music festivals.

The Photo Documentary Project concludes with a gallery exhibition and hardcover book featuring students’ images and stories. The project is made possible through a partnership between ArtsQuest, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Lehigh Valley Workforce Investment Board Inc. and PA CareerLink, and Olympus America Inc.

“I found myself in this program. It was so awesome. I had so much fun doing it.”
Christina Villacis, 20, of Bethlehem

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unseenamerica

The camera lens, the pen and the power of the mind come together in this exciting art program that introduces young people to the fun of photography.

In unseenamerica, students use cameras to document the people, places and things that are important to them in life. Along the way, they discover that they have a unique vision that is worth sharing with others.

Started by Esther Cohen, executive director of Bread and Roses Cultural Program, unseenamerica is a national documentary photography project that gives a voice to those individuals who are often “unseen” in commercial media. The Banana Factory’s unseenamerica program focuses on at-risk youth. Weekly photography lessons help students create better pictures, while the written component involves crafting photo captions and personal essays.

unseenamerica culminates with an exhibition for students’ family, friends and the community. This opportunity to showcase their work publicly is a tremendous accomplishment for the children. Their sense of pride and self-esteem are magnified greatly by the entire process.

Funding for select unseenamerica projects is made possible through Educational Improvement Tax Credit program administered through United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Community Partners for Student Success (COMPASS) strategic partnership. For more information on COMPASS, please visit http://unitedwayglv.secureweb2.org/COMPASS.php.

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Visual Arts at the Banana Factory are presented by
True story.