Shamokin, Pa. — The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has provided $400,000 to SEDA-COG and the Screen Arts Institute to launch a visual arts career program in Shamokin.
The new program, called the Broadcast Arts Initiative, has a first-year goal to create 20 new local businesses.
In addition to creating entirely new businesses, the program is expected to benefit 60 students, in fields like graphic and mobile app design.
The Screen Arts Institute applied for the grant over the summer with the help of Linda Sterling of the Northumberland County Planning and Economic Development office and Betsy Lockwood, director of project development and grants at SEDA-COG. The project also has an additional $400,000 in matching funds from the Screen Arts Institute.
SEDA-COG will administer the grant.
“It’s not something any one person wants to take on,” stated Mark Stansberry, founder and director of the Screen Arts Institute. “They [SEDA-COG] will take care of reports, procurement of equipment, and allocation of requests. They’re the major liaison.”
The initiative will offer education and mentorship to at-risk residents ages 17 and older, focusing on creative employment and entrepreneurship through visual arts courses and hands-on production experience in freelance work.
“This has been 30 years in the making,” added Stansberry, “I see the potential and I want to add to it.”
Courses will be taught by instructors who are artists making a living in the discipline they teach and include animation, digital illustration, graphic design, and mobile game building.
Students will engage in the Screen Arts Institute’s art, video, and mobile app projects, intern in pro bono work for regional nonprofits and small businesses, and design Shamokin-themed souvenirs for sale. These experiences will provide opportunities for students to launch their own careers in art, video, and app development within the growing remote and freelance economy.