Who Are We?
The Tamaqua Community Arts Center opened in 2012 through a series of community conversations in the old Salem United Methodist Church. As a non-profit 501c3 organization, the arts center has become a hub for activity within the community and is a symbol of hope for future development. We believe you can choose to find happiness here and overcome the stigma of a dying coal town. We host concerts, community theater performances, and gallery exhibits. We have full scale pottery studio and several rooms to host art classes, workshops and special events for all ages and at all levels of ability. New ideas and suggestions are always welcome from the community on how we can serve you.
The arts centers mission is to provide inclusive educational opportunities for all to create, learn, and appreciate the fine and performing arts in a safe environment. The arts are important to the development of a healthy community. We believe all can be a part of the diverse social and creative setting found within our center. We provide an exciting creative outlet between artists and students. We are a place to discover talents and share skills where the experience is exciting and creates positive ties.
In addition to all the wonderful activities you can find inside of our building, such as painting, colored pencil, drawing, pottery, kids crafts, mosaics and more, we have found that large scale public art initiatives forge bonds and build trust with current, past and future residents, business owners and our neighbors. Our first project Dear Tamaqua asked our residents to write letters sharing their fond memories, love/hate for our town and their hopes and dreams for the future. These letters were brought to life in a 1 mile immersive walking experience. Our next project Tamaqua Has Heart explored the love we have for our people, our volunteers, our architecture, our heritage, the arts and our future. Raw Aspirations followed as a partnership project with the Arts Barn of Orwigsburg. This public event, using all raw, natural materials which created large sculptures helped us to identify our raw ideas on future development of our community. The Art of Escape Tamaqua was a partnership with our local middle and high school students in which they were given the ability to work side by side with positive adult role models as a means of preventative measures in the drug and alcohol addiction we all face. This project created a temporary escape room experience where the students developed puzzles and clues, helped to build the rooms and volunteered their time to work behind the scenes while the community enjoyed finding their way out of two unique story board rooms. This blend of continued programing has provided a unique experience in the arts and has encouraged a spark positive of conversation and development.
Want To Help?
You can show us your love through the giving of your time. We are always in need of volunteers who want to assist in the daily operations of the Tamaqua Community Arts Center. These can include:
- setup and clean up for events
- light maintenance
- building of sets for theater shows
- organizing of donated materials and supplies
- serving refreshments
- administrative tasks
Donations of art materials and supplies, kitchen utensils, snacks and cleaning products are always welcome. The arts center does not rely on government grants or funding. We cover daily operating expense through tickets sold to events and private donations. Those looking to make a financial contribution are welcome to make checks payable to The Tamaqua Community Art Center. All donations are tax deductible. And of course, if you have not yet, stop by and visit or purchase tickets to an event along with some friends!!
Contact Us
Located at 125 Pine Street, Tamaqua, PA 18252, a full listing of all our events and special projects can be found on our website at www.tamaquaarts.org or our Facebook page TamaquaArts. Our hours vary based on events, but we can be reached by calling 570-668-1192 or email: info@tamaquaarts.org.
You can also contact this organization by using the pledge button below!