The Art Sparks Program is created and funded by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
Students from Archbishop John Carroll High School in Radnor (Delaware County) will unveil the mosaic installation they created for the Valley Forge Service Plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike as a result of their work with the Art Sparks Program.
The school was invited by the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership (PAEP) to participate in this initiative. The Art Sparks Program is created and funded by the PA Council on the Arts and the PA Turnpike Commission.
Friday, March 3, 2023
10:00 a.m.
Valley Forge Service Plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike
1495 Valley Forge Road (Milepost 324.5 Eastbound)
Wayne, PA 19082
In addition to the mosaic unveiling, attendees will enjoy selections from the Archbishop Carroll music ensemble and learn more about the innovative partnership between the PA Turnpike Commission and the PA Council on the Arts. The Art Sparks Program invites schools to design artwork for turnpike service plazas across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. PAEP, regional PA Council on the Arts partner for southeastern PA, manages and oversees this collaboration.
In September 2022, members of Archbishop Carroll’s Fine Arts Department including Ms. Loraine Carpenter, the Fine Arts Department Chair and Mr. Timothy Magenta started to work with students on this project. Ms. Jessica Liddell, a PA Council on the Arts teaching artist guided the students as they worked on the mosaic.
In December 2022, representatives from the PA Turnpike Commission, along with the PA Council on the Arts and the Art Sparks Committee visited Archbishop John Carroll High School to view the students work and also participated in the artmaking process.
Sister Lauretta Linsalata, I.H.M., from Archbishop Ryan High School is on the board of PAEP and served as the school liaison for this project.
Background Information about Archbishop John Carroll High School
Archbishop John Carroll High School is committed to excellence in the areas of spiritual, academic, and social development. By guiding its students in the development of their goals within the context of a meaningful relationship with God, others, and self, Archbishop Carroll challenges them to responsible stewardship in the world. With Christ as its model, the school accomplishes this challenge through the dedication of a professional staff who educate their students by implementing innovative and competitive methodologies to prepare the twenty-first century learner for the ever-changing world.
Background Information on the Art Sparks Program
In 2017, the PA Council on the Arts (PCA) and the PA Turnpike Commission began an arts program, Art Sparks, to beautify the Turnpike Service Plazas across Pennsylvania. The intent and focus of the program is three-fold: 1) to provide an opportunity for the turnpike commission to form stronger community relations with the families living and working in the service plaza catchment areas, 2) to place the project in a school located within each service area, 3) to engage the regional PCA Partner to lead the project along with a PCA-approved teaching art who together, work with the school art teacher(s) and his/her students to design and execute a visual art installation that will then be mounted in the Turnpike service plaza. The project is fully funded through the Regional PCA Arts in Education Partner with funds from the PCA and Turnpike Commission.
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Editor’s Note: For additional information about Archbishop John Carroll High School, please visit jcarroll.org/. For additional information on Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit aopcatholicschools.org/.
Contact:Meredith Wilson
Media and Events Specialist
215-587-3747