‘Happening wherever you are.’ Arts Fest reveals 2020 poster for virtual event
The traditional Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts is canceled, but COVID-19 didn’t stop the annual poster reveal.
The 54th Arts Fest will be held online from July 9-12. On Tuesday, the festival released its annual collectible poster that was designed by longtime designer Lanny Sommese and his daughter, Saige. The poster features “a simple sunrise, rising over a stylized Happy Valley landscape” — hinting at hope for better days, according to a news release.
“When we were discussing canceling this summer’s festival, we felt it was important to continue the tradition of the real festival poster,” Arts Fest Executive Director Rick Bryant said. “Instead of referencing downtown State College and the Penn State campus, the poster’s text says, ‘happening wherever you are.’”
The poster is free and can be picked up at the following locations:
- Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, 403 S. Allen St., Suite 205 A, State College
- Downtown State College Improvement District, 127 S. Fraser St., State College
- State College Framing Company and Gallery, 160 Rolling Ridge Drive, State College
- The Makery, 209 W. Calder Way, State College
- Art a la Carte, 107 S. Allegheny St., Bellefonte
- Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau, One West Market St., Lewistown
After July 12, remaining posters will be available for purchase online at arts-festival.com.
Sommese, a Penn State emeritus professor of graphic design, and his daughter, Saige Sommese, a 2018 graduate of Penn State’s graphic design program, designed the image together. For more than 40 years, Sommese has designed the Arts Fest posters, which can be seen on display in the Penn State HUB-Robeson Center.
