For the public, by the public

On the verge of realizing its goals, the Public Art Academy is looking for an extra push toward success.

"It's our goal to make Williamsport a destination, not just a stopping point," said Michael Pilato, founder and executive director of the Public Art Academy, 1307 Park Ave.

Since its creation in 2007, the Public Art Academy has operated under a simple mission statement: The Public Art Academy is committed to providing the highest quality art education for students with a passion for public art. Using a new approach to curriculum, which envisions entire communities as museums without walls, the academy pledges to provide its students with inspiring, rigorous and rewarding training, and to work cooperatively with communities to enrich their public spaces with imaginative public art, enhancing the quality of life.

Those familiar with Pilato may associate his name with the ongoing downtown mural project, however, the academy's reach into the community continues to reach much further. The academy's ultimate goal is to use it's educational opportunities to enhance public art in the area.

"It's an academy for the public," Michael said. "What's happening is artists will come and rent the space. It's an avenue for them to make money, really, that's our whole goal. We believe happy artists make a happy town."

The vision is clear. In a wide open space on the second floor of the Pajama Factory, the academy's vision is nearly complete. With banners of wheelchair art hanging from the rafters by Jesse McKinney, who is interning with Pilato and co-developing the Academy's Adaptive Art Program; electric sculptures by Marshall Harris clinging to the walls; and a raised stage ready for performances, the space will be the focal point of the academy's activities.

Thanks to a generous contribution of a challenge grant from area native Mr. William A. Schreyer of the Schreyer Foundation the Academy can count on doubling any cash donation made. The Schreyer Foundation has promised 1 million dollars over the next five years based on the premise of it being matched through other community support each year. Michael and co-founder and Program Officer Keiko Pilato have made some major investments in 2008 through their time and with the support of a first year grant from The Schreyer foundation in propelling the academy's progress, but they and their Board of Directors made up of local, regional, and national members are working hard to find the matching support as help is still and always needed. Currently, they are seeking contributions of in-kind, volunteers, or cash to finalize the renovations of the Academy, Matching contributions will ensure quality programming and a reinvestment into the community.

"It's a movement we're doing here in Williamsport," Michael said. "Artists from all over the country want to be a part of this movement, which makes us very proud that these people are coming on board."

Initially, the academy is offering workshops focused on educators. But the idea behind the workshops extends beyond our own community.

What Michael describes as pollination, is a plan to bring quality artists from outside the area to host workshops. Typically, along with those artists comes a following.

"Having artists from outside the area come in, their followings will come for their workshops, but keeping in line with our community-based philosophy, it is important that we integrate offerings by local artists into the workshops," Michael said.

It's just one of the many ways the academy has an eye on the horizon to bring outside money into the area. Michael admitted that they will need to start small, but the plan is to double the number of workshops each year.

While the tuition-based workshops and courses will focus on adults, the Academy will start free after-school programs in September for middle and high school students.

Currently, there are plans for four departments:

Mural Arts Apprenticeship - students work on and learn about public art projects and practices.

Adaptive Art - emphasis is placed on development of integrated art techniques for individuals with disabilities in preparation, through workshops, for future public art projects.

Graphic Arts - students learn print making techniques and production in development of the academy's in-house marketing revenue building productions.

Open Studio and General Arts - middle and high school age students produce art in a safe and creative place to spend time after school. Artist instructors can use the Academy's space for their own productions and teach their own specific-disciplined class, as space is available, for minimal cost.

"We're really pushing our education," Michael said. "When students come in we're working with them to polish their portfolio, and helping them with their resume to help them go into the schools they want to get into."

Many of the projects students work on will involve working on various public art projects, which will play into the academy's ultimate plan of making Williamsport more than a pit stop.

Michael said that his experience with bus tours coming through is that they often go from a hotel to a supermarket, then are back on the road without ever having seen downtown.

"We believe that with meaningful public art in Williamsport, we can prove that public art brings community and economic development," Michael said.

For more information on the academy, visit www.publicartacademy.org.