BETHLEHEM, Pa. — ArtsQuest, the organization that annually presents the huge Musikfest festival and programming at the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, has announced a new program to honor Musikfest’s founder and donors to the program.
The Jeff Parks Founders Society was inaugurated last week with a ribbon cutting for a permanent display on the exterior of the ArtsQuest Center, to the right of the entrance, that will honor Parks and donors by creating a collage around the current year’s official Musikfest poster.
“Access to the arts and cultural experiences are vital to building trust and understanding among people from all walks of life.”Jeff Parks, quoted on a plaque that’s part of the Jeff Parks Foundation display
“The foundation’s board of trustees thought this would be a wonderful way to recognize Jeff’s efforts while simultaneously giving the poster art a permanent home on the ArtsQuest Campus,” ArtsQuest said in a release.
Parks founded Musikfest in 1984 to help bring cultural focus on what then was a city struggling with the downfall of Bethlehem Steel. It now promotes itself as the largest free, ungated music festival in the United States.
“Access to the arts and cultural experiences are vital to building trust and understanding among people from all walks of life,” Parks says in a plaque that’s part of the display.
“ArtsQuest strives to provide opportunities for all members of the community to share these experiences with the diverse, talented people who are our neighbors and our guests.
“We thank all those who help us offer these experiences that foster a thriving community.”
Supporting thousands of programs
ArtsQuest Foundation Executive Director Selena Lavonier said, “The Jeff Parks Founders Society marks an important milestone in the ArtsQuest Foundation’s history.
“The creation of this program solidifies the foundation’s presence in ArtsQuest’s story by honoring its founder and first festival while providing permanent recognition for the Foundation’s legacy supporters who assure that ArtsQuest and its programs will be here for generations to come.”
The nonprofit ArtsQuest Foundation was founded in 2002 to support ArtsQuest and its artistic, cultural and educational programs. ArtsQuest provides more than 1,000 free programs for the public annually, and its long-term sustainability relies on philanthropic support from the ArtsQuest Foundation.
This year’s donors are:
• The City of Bethlehem
• Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Pat and Sandy Corpora
• The Cort Family
• The Dyson Family
• Elaine Emrick
• Linny and Beall Fowler
• Brenda and John McGlade
• Thomas and Jo Anne Riddle
• Barb and Jack Yaissle
• Dick Yuengling and Family
• Sue and Ed Ziegler
