Pennsylvania Turnpike and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Celebrate Conclusion of Art Sparks Program

From Pennsylvania Turnpike, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

Photo courtesy of Joseph Two on Unsplash

Shortly before the pandemic, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) launched a new partnership to bring their Arts in Education program to the PA Turnpike. Now, the two groups are celebrating the completion of the program, which makes student-produced artwork and community pride a focal point in each of the PA Turnpike’s 17 service plazas.

“The work done by students from across the Commonwealth, from schools big and small, has been nothing short of impressive,” said Mark Compton, CEO of the PA Turnpike. “Art Sparks has provided these young artists the opportunity to showcase what makes their local communities special to those who may otherwise only be passing through. I’ve enjoyed getting to meet and interact with the students, and I know their hard work and dedication has enriched our service plazas.”

The first residency was unveiled in 2017 at the Lawn Service Plaza and concluded with the final installation at Blue Mountain Service Plaza in January 2025. Art Sparks paired K-12 art students and teaching artists to install a local, student-created artwork in every Turnpike service plaza, system-wide. Schools near each respective service plaza hosted 20-day teaching artist residencies led by a local PCA teaching artist. The students created the artwork meant to be reflective of their region of Pennsylvania. The PCA teaching artist residencies helped teach conceptual thinking, visual and creative skills, promoting teamwork, and engaging students of all abilities and learning styles.

“We have had a shared belief that art transforms public spaces and enlightens young minds,” said Susan S. Cohen, PA Council on the Arts Chair. “From the students who created these works with the help of our teaching artists, to the countless visitors to the service plazas whose days will be brightened as they enjoy the fruits of their labor, the arts possess an immeasurable ability to positively impact our lives. We hope this collaboration will continue to inspire not only those who were a part of it but the thousands who will view their work for years to come.”

With the success of the collaboration, the PA Turnpike and PA Council on the Arts are looking at other ways to extend the Art Sparks program beyond its original mission, including an employee-led project at the PA Turnpike’s Central Administration Building in Middletown and amenities for the Sideling Hill Service Plaza Trailhead, which is under construction.

A list of service plaza projects with links to the artwork, in order of completion, is below:

• Lawn Service Plaza | Lower Dauphin High School
• Oakmont Service Plaza | Riverview Junior/Senior High School
• South Somerset Service Plaza | Somerset Area High School
• King of Prussia Service Plaza | Radnor High School
• Cumberland Valley Service Plaza | Big Spring Middle School
• New Stanton Service Plaza | Hempfield Area High School
• Sideling Hill Service Plaza | Southern Fulton High School
• Hickory Run Service Plaza | Panther Valley Junior/Senior High School
• Valley Forge Service Plaza | Archbishop John Carroll High School
• Peter J. Camiel Service Plaza | Twin Valley High School
• North Midway Service Plaza | Everett High School
• South Midway Service Plaza | Chestnut Ridge High School
• Allentown Service Plaza | Emmaus High School & Building 21 High School
• North Somerset Service Plaza | Shanksville-Stonycreek School District
• Highspire Service Plaza | Steelton-Highspire High School
• Bowmansville Service Plaza | Cocalico High School
• Blue Mountain Service Plaza | Shippensburg Area Senior High School

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Source: bctv