If you stroll down Fraser or South Allen Street, you will notice the hand-painted benches in the shape of open books decorating the sidewalks. These artistic additions over the last few months have been made through the Centre Foundation and the Book Benches project.
The Book Benches of Centre County is a project that gained funding in May 2014. The founders of Book Benches hope to unify the five townships and boroughs of Centre County through the use of art and creativity. Currently there are 10 completed benches and five successfully placed at selected locations around Centre County, including the two in State College. Throughout the year a total of 25 benches will be painted and distributed to specific locations in Centre County.
The Child Development and Family Council of Centre County and their partner SPE Federal Credit Union were selected to receive the $100,000 Centre Inspires Grant for this project. With this funding, local artists who participate in this project are provided with the tools needed to decorate these benches. Before each bench is painted the community members vote on what the theme will be. The painted benches visually show what it is like to live in an extraordinary place like Centre County!
Not many counties in the country have a melting pot quite like Centre County. Here there is a world-renowned university, lifestyles ranging from farmers to city workers and chain restaurants to family-owned stores. Centre County truly has it all. So what better way to explain the story of Centre County, than through hand-painted benches done by the people who actually live here!
“The Arts” Book Bench, by Amber Elsessor, can be found in the Fraser Street Plaza.
Take a trip to downtown State College or any of the surrounding districts to see these works of art! The “Thought in Progress” bench by Zharkov is outside of the Borough Building in State College. “The Arts” bench by Amber Elsessor can be found in the Fraser Street Plaza in Downtown State College. The “Sunset Bench” by Liz Liadis is at Saint Mark Lutheran Church in Pleasant Gap. The “Bedtime Shmedtime” bench by Cooper Burgess is placed at the Centre Hall Area Branch Library in Penns Valley, and the “Philipsburg Labor History” bench by Sean Bodley can be found outside of the Holt Memorial Library in Philipsburg.
By the end of this project there will be at least four benches in each of the five regions in Centre County. The community in each area will also have the opportunity to participate in the painting of a “community bench” this coming spring. Stop by one of the book benches today and get inspired!
For more information about the Book Benches of Centre County go to http://bookbenchescc.wix.com/bookbenchescc
