ELMO IS COMING!!!

No kidding!!! Thanks to our friends at PNC, it looks like Elmo will join us during the street festival. We'll pretend that we are happy because kids love Elmo -- we won't admit that adults love him more.

Awesome entertainment scheduled: Babatunde Lea

We are in for a real treat during the reception at the Valencia. Master jazz percussionist, Babatunde Lea, will make music for us.

His most recent album paid tribute to Leon Thomas -- an undervalued musician and composer. Tunde's quartet included Ernie Watts on the tenor sax, Dwight Trible doing vocals, Gary Brown, the brass player, and Patricia Rushen on the piano -- a distinguished ensemble to say the least. You'll want to listen to the album: BABATUNDE LEA - UMBO WETI: A TRIBUTE TO LEON THOMAS.

Other song's described as Tunde's "best" include CREATOR HAS A MASTER PLAN, REACHING UP, MARCH OF THE JAZZ GUERRILAS, BALDWIN'S FIRE AND SUN SONG.

Tunde is also an accomplished educator. Along with his wife, Virginia Lea, he has established a non-profit organization, Educultural Foundation. His foundation is dedicated to teaching critical thinking about social and cultural issues through music, the visual and performing arts, narrative and dialogue.

In short, Babatunde is a brilliant musician, a gifted educator, a gentle man -- and he will be on stage performing for us!!! How cool is that!

Tickets (free ones) to the reception are required. Call the Strand-Capitol at 717-846-1111 beginning February 15.

Tickets Available Beginning February 15

Woo Hoo!!! Tickets for the awards ceremony and "after" reception can be ordered between February 15th and April 1st. Thank you to the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center for being our "ticket master" -- For tickets, call 717-846-1111 or go on-line to www.strandcapitol.org. Remember, the events are free and open to the public, but tickets are required for the ceremony and for the post-party reception at the Valencia.

A really good rumor

This rumor is a rumor -- not written in stone -- but we're feeling so good about it that we want you all to cross your fingers, do a happy dance, and send good thoughts throughout the universe. Congressman Todd Platts invited the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman, to be our keynote speaker. . . . and apparently, he is going to accept the invitation. Chairman Landesman is our nation's foremost arts advocate -- he knows full well that the arts can transform learning, people, and communities. A former NYC theatre producer, Chairman Landesman's passion for the transformative possibilities of the arts is contagious -- in other words, he will rock the Capitol!!!!

Even if the rumor is wrong, we must thank Congressman Platts. He is the co-chair of Congressional Arts Caucus, and we understand he reached out to Chairman Landesman on our behalf. We so appreciate his support, participation, and outreach.

A lead sponsor

We are honored that PNC Bank has agreed to be the lead sponsor for the Governor's Arts Awards! PNC is known to have an extremely arts oriented mission for its grantees and was a past recipient of Americans for the Arts, Business of the Year award. How wonderful to have a bank and foundation who recognize the value of the arts! And how wonderful that PNC is located right here in PA.

We also received a sponsorship from Memorial Hospital. We can't thank them enough. We hope with these two fine institutions supporting us, others will follow. We need you - please help us show off York as the "Cultural Captial of the Commonwealth."

Just Added: Projection Art

This could very, very cool. Carol Kaufman had an idea. She told JJ Sheffer. JJ liked the idea. She told artist, Justin Ayala. Justin liked the idea. He will make it so. Justin is designing a work that will be projected on the outside of very visible building on George Street. If I tell you where and when, it will spoil the surprise. You will love it. So stick around all evening and Look For The Light.

Our Brand Spanking New Logo

Check out our brand new logo courtesy of Bill Scharf of Willworks in Felton.

The dynamic design and colors really convey the mood of arts and culture

that will surround the awards events!