For visitors, Pennsylvania offers an incredible range of arts and entertainment activities. Whether one favors dance, theater, film, music, visual arts, crafts, literature, or all of the above, the commonwealth's rich history, diverse culture, and varied geography assure that visitors will find countless opportunities for artistic enrichment.
Originally home to members of the Delaware Susquehannock, Iroquois, Eriez, and Shawnee Native American tribes, the area that is now Pennsylvania was first settled by Europeans in the mid-17th century. Dubbed the Quaker Province in recognition of founder William Penn's religious convictions, the area was an early bastion of liberty, diversity, and justice in the New World. By the mid-1700s, Pennsylvania was a cradle of American democracy and culture. Philadelphia was the first national capital, and it was there that the Declaration of Independence was written and signed, creating the United States of America. The large role Pennsylvania has played in American history is prevalent in all arts to be found here, making the arts and entertainments of this commonwealth truly unique.
Today, while it is only the 33rd-largest state in area, Pennsylvania is the sixth-largest state in population. This assures that Pennsylvania's cultural communities are large and varied, and indeed, it's hardly possible for visitors to the commonwealth to experience everything there. With a unique balance of urban and rural, coastal and landlocked, historical and contemporary, Pennsylvania is one of the most exciting states in the country to explore, and local arts reflect this.
Arts and Crafts
For visitors interested in the visual arts, Pennsylvania has several venerable institutions, plus many art festivals and small galleries. In Philadelphia, visitors can spend time at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, founded in 1876. Also to see are the Rodin Museum, the Barnes Foundation, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Pittsburgh has two major modern art museums - the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Andy Warhol Museum, plus the wildly popular Three Rivers Arts Festival. Other cities throughout the commonwealth have their own museums, and visitors can find small galleries and fun events nearly everywhere.
Craft-loving visitors to the commonwealth can treat themselves to an abundance of crafts events and festivals, from alternative urban festivals to traditional rural events. As for the big cities, Philadelphia has the Philadelphia Museum Art and Craft Show, while the Pittsburgh area is home to the Spring Fever Festival and the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival. The commonwealth holds plenty of rural arts and crafts festivals as well, including the Colonial Festival in Greensburg, the Bucks County Covered Bridges Festival in Erwinna, and countless other small but popular events.
Performing Arts
Fans of the performing arts will not be disappointed by what Pennsylvania has to offer, though it should be noted that most of the commonwealth's performing arts activities are centered in its two largest metropolitan areas. For dance, Philadelphia has the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Philadelphia Dance Company, and numerous opportunities for visitors to learn new dance moves or enjoy a night out in the city's many dance nightclubs. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh is home to the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and also has plenty of participatory dance events and experiences.
For theater, there are countless companies and venues throughout the commonwealth. For instance, the capital city of Harrisburg has the Gamut Theatre Group, which owns both the Popcorn Hat Players and the Harrisburg Shakespeare Festival. Pittsburgh is home to the City Theatre and two family-oriented theater companies, Saltworks Theater and the Gemini Theater Company. Meanwhile, Philadelphia offers the prestigious Philadelphia Theater Company, the historical Walnut Street Theatre, and the Forrest Theatre, which hosts popular traveling Broadway shows. Also, Philadelphia's University of Pennsylvania produces the Alternative Theatre Festival, which offers visitors a chance to experience the cutting edge of American theater.
Visiting music fans are offered plenty of opportunities to experience the commonwealth's home-grown talent. Music venues throughout the commonwealth showcase local music scenes in genres ranging from independent rock to hip-hop. For orchestral performances, Philadelphia has the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philly Pops, and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, while Pittsburgh has the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Civic Orchestra. Both of these cities also have large venues for touring musical acts, from huge pop sensations to respected independent rock bands. Also, the cities of Lebanon, Melford, Gettysburg, and many others hold their own locally popular music festivals. And, as expected,Philadelphia and Pittsburgh also have huge, well-attended music festivals.
Film and Literature
Film buffs, too, will find that the commonwealth has a wealth of opportunities to view and learn about films from the region and from around the world. Film festivals of all sizes can be found throughout Pennsylvania. The city of Erie, on the banks of Lake Erie, hosts two popular film festivals -- the Great Lakes Independent Film Festival and the Erie Horror Film Fest. The Allentown-Bethlehem metropolitan region hosts the SouthSide Film Festival, which is one of the most popular film festivals in the commonwealth. Philadelphia holds the Philadelphia Film Festival, as well as the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, while Pittsburgh has the well-attended Three Rivers Film Festival.
For lovers of literature, Pennsylvania is full of literary festivals, readings, and prestigious libraries. For example, central Philadelphia is home to one of the largest and most ornate libraries in the country -- the central branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia system. The city also has the annual Philadelphia Book Festival and the 215 Festival. Similar large book festivals can also be attended in Reading, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and Pittsburgh. Plus, great libraries and bookstores abound throughout the commonwealth.
In short, there are many cultural activities to be found in Pennsylvania. Visitors can find unlimited opportunities in the two major metropolitan areas and a variety of other options in the smaller, cozier cities. The lively, enriching cultural activities all welcome visitors from anywhere.
