By Lexi Lin, Social Media Editor
In December 2024, the Tredyffrin Township founded a new Public Arts Commission that will serve as an advisory board to the township board of supervisors on art and cultural matters. The commission’s goal is to provide guidance, advocacy and leadership to support the impact of public art while also promoting the creative identity of Tredyffrin Township. It is currently seeking five community members to serve on the board.
“We thought (public art) was an important part of our cultural life that we wanted to make more available to residents,” said Matthew Holt, a supervisor at-large for Tredyffrin Township and a leader of the art commission. “We wanted to bring together a number of individuals that live in the township with artistic backgrounds that could help guide the board.”
The success of Mural Arts Philadelphia, which engages in up to 100 public art projects a year, and other similar programs in the region partially inspired the creation of the commission. Holt wanted to bring a sense of identity and pride to the township by celebrating the heritage and history of the community.
“We also want people to be proud in their community and not just a place to rest your head when you go off to work and come back and forth,” Holt said. “We want it to be special for folks.”
Through the art commission, the board members hope to see a variety of public art and culture, including murals, sculptures and community programming such as summer concerts. They also aim to work with other committees that share similar missions, such as the township Parks and Recreation board, to enhance the parks and environment in the community.
The commission’s impact would also influence the Conestoga community, especially the teachers and students of the district. Art teacher and department chair Amy Cruz believes that providing a platform for student voices would offer young people the opportunity to share their ideas with the community on a more impactful level.
“I’m encouraged that this commission has been created,” Cruz said. “I think that it is great to make a statement that a community values the arts and recognizes the power that the arts have. I think that historically, the arts have been a powerful way to express the needs and desires of the community.”
The commission is currently accepting applications for volunteers and hopes to have the board running in the coming months.
