717 Arts
Mission-driven Goals:
Prioritizing engaging with partners from historically marginalized communities and/or artists working at the experimental fringes of their medium
Building good faith partnerships with the community and prove ourselves to be committed, thoughtful partners
Creating digital space that serves to help unify and boost the community
Brokering existing space within the community to create connection and opportunity in mutually beneficial partnerships with artists, businesses, and organizations
Creatively reinventing space for artistic, educational, or community-building purposes
Building a coalition of allied volunteers who can assist the community in its work
Approaching all partnerships with a non-competitive “joiner” spirit, a willingness to listen and learn, and a “How can we help?” spirit, looking for pragmatic, sustainable ways to provide actionable allyship and support
Programming
HARRISBURG FRINGE FESTIVAL: officially launched in the summer of 2023, with events and fundraisers beginning in the prior year, including the splash debut 24 Hour “Fringe in a Day” August 12-13, 2022. The HFF is 717 Arts’ flagship programming and the event that requires most of our volunteer time and finances.
FREE IMPROV sessions with artist-musician Tara Toms
HELP! (Hey Everybody, Let’s Play) theme-based theatrical comedy improv workshops with comedian-actor-improvisor Liz Curtis.
“NEW VOICES” workshops & production programming, supporting educational community outreach work & arts production work for young artists with local ties who represent the communities we serve
Free Community Photography and Consulting (PR and space acquisition)