GoggleWorks Center for the Arts (GoggleWorks) announced that Arts Festival Reading, the area’s premier juried fine art and craft show will return this year without admission fees on December 4th-5th, 2021. The initiative they are calling “Free for All” was made possible in part through a new grant program by the Berks County Community Foundation. The annual two-day festival will again expand as a holiday market and welcome thousands of visitors to engage with interactive programs and discover handmade gifts and artwork from over 100 artists just before the holiday season. Only this year the event will focus on increasing accessibility for and engagement with the community.
“The past year has highlighted the numerous ways that we can do more to serve our community and make Reading a more vibrant and equitable place to create, learn, grow, or visit,” said Executive Director Levi Landis. “This year marks the 15th anniversary of GoggleWorks and the 10th anniversary of Arts Fest. It’s the right time for us to think about how to bring such a high-quality festival to anyone who wants to come, regardless of their means,” Landis continued.
Arts Festival Reading remained one of the only exceptions to GoggleWorks’ year-round, admission-free model. Leaders said that while there were reasons for this, making its programs accessible was deeply connected to its mission and approach to community art. Pre-registration will still be required as GoggleWorks will continue to prioritize safety, and leaders encouraged anyone who has the means to support our educational and outreach programs to donate at the event or online at www.goggleworks.org/donate.
Arts Festival Reading & Holiday Market
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts
201 Washington Street
Reading, PA 19601
Dates & Times:
Saturday, December 4 & Sunday, December 5
10am – 5pm
Admission:
Now Free!
GoggleWorks annual arts festival features juried artists from across the country and studio artists from GoggleWorks, along with food, music, kids’ programs, and live artist demonstrations. In 2019, the event moved to December to embrace the spirit of the holidays and encourage sales for artists. The shift allowed GoggleWorks to develop a haven for holiday shoppers and others, including families and visitors that have never been to Arts Festival Reading previously.
Beyond its impact on attendees, Arts Festival Reading acts as a hub for established and emerging artists to sell work; network with other artists and leaders; and showcase their craft through live art demonstrations and hands-on workshops. Artists interested in applying to sell works can visit https://goggleworks.submittable.com/submit to apply today.
Visitors interested in keeping up with details about the event can visit goggleworks.org/calendar/arts-festival-reading to learn more.
