The BCIU Rotating Art Gallery was started in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the “Bucks County Traveling Art Gallery” collection. The original collection was a project spearheaded in the 1940’s by former Bucks County Superintendent, Charles Boehm, and other local educators and artists. One Sellersville artist, Walter Emerson Baum, donated over a dozen paintings and assisted Dr. Boehm in collecting local artwork for the Traveling Gallery.
The purpose of creating a “Traveling Art Gallery” for schools was to expose children to their local artistic heritage, including the New Hope School of Art, which was a part of the Pennsylvania Impressionist period and was recognized by artists worldwide.
With the advent of The Rotating Gallery, the mission of the founding fathers to collect and display Bucks County art for the children of Bucks County now moves into the 21st Century. The Rotating Art Gallery gives the opportunity to contemporary Bucks County artists to exhibit their work at the Gallery for four-month exhibitions. Their work is available for purchase. Both the artist and the Arts Education Trust Board share in the proceeds. The Arts Education Trust portion is dedicated to the conservation and expansion of the art collection and related educational programs.
The BCIU Rotating Art Gallery was dedicated at the BCIU 60th Anniversary Celebration reception on September 15, 2009, which was held at the Bucks County Intermediate Unit 705 offices. The original “Bucks County Traveling Art Gallery” dedication ceremony took place on September 26, 1949 at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, PA.
If you are interested in purchasing a piece of art, please inquire at the front desk or contact Eddie Frasca-Stuart at 215-348-2940 x.1410.
