We are Arthaus Projects, located in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. For over nine years we’ve provided art to the community in downtown Williamsport at no cost to the general public. Over the past couple months, we have been working hard to prepare our new location for its opening to the public. This new location will be four times the size of our previous one and we already have new programming options in mind following our reopening. Our plans include virtual events in the light of COVID-19, comedy shows, and a black box theater. We want our location to be accessible to everyone in the community, but due to the building’s current architecture, this may not be possible without help.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our 2020 was not what we imagined. Many events in the Williamsport community faced cancelation, such as First Fridays and the Little League World Series, severely impacting our presence in the local art scene this past year. Also, as a non-profit with zero employees, federal aid created for COVID-19 relief efforts does not apply to us. We would love to make our space a compliment to the Williamsport art scene through our alternative programming and visitor-friendly parking, but due to our current situation, we cannot do this on our own.
Our gallery, located on the new location’s second floor, is currently not accessible to individuals with physical disabilities. Galleries thrive on inclusion, and as such, Arthaus Projects wants to ensure that our gallery space is accessible to everyone through an elevator between the first and second floors of the building. With our current budget as a nonprofit, we cannot afford to fund this on our own, which is where our community comes in. Through this campaign, we can open our gallery to everyone in the community, ensuring that the gallery space is as inclusive as possible.
Due to the Americans’ with Disabilities Act (ADA), Arthaus Projects is required by law to ensure that all people have equal access to the gallery. Therefore, without your financial assistance, Arthaus Projects will not be legally allowed to open our new gallery space. Without the elevator, Arthaus Projects will fold as a gallery, so we’re asking you to consider a donation of any size. If all of the art supporters in the Williamsport area donated only $5 (the price of a latte), the elevator would be fully funded.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Together we can build towards a wonderful future full of artistic endeavors and an amazing new space to enjoy them.