Prism

One of the most essential pieces of not only bringing creatives into a neighborhood but keeping them there is housing. Affordable housing. Two organizations on opposite sides of the state are tackling this problem and making their communities stronger in the process.

From live music to chainsaws, Pennsylvania's unique annual festivals celebrate everything under the sun. They also boost their communities, increase local pride, and showcase the host area for a wide swath of new people. The economic benefits redound throughout the year. In this latest episode, we're joined by representatives from Bethlehem's Musikfest and the Ridgway's Chainsa...

Chester, PA is a small city of over 30,000 nestled along the Delaware River southwest of Philadelphia. It’s a place with a long history. It was incorporated in 1682 and is home to the Chester Courthouse, the oldest existing public building in the United States. It experienced an industrial boom driven by shipyards and manufacturing, followed by periods of unrest and divestment. As you’ll hear in t...

In our first episode of season two, we’re heading west to Pittsburgh where The Andy Warhol Museum is expanding its mission and its footprint. The treasured cultural institution is spearheading the POP District , an initiative that encompasses everything from a live music venue and co-working spaces, to workforce development programs and public art. To talk about the challenges and the incredible p...

Season 2 of Prism begins in October! Catch up on previous episodes here and/or get more info on Keystone Edge .

Pennsylvania's film industry employs almost 10,000 people in the Pittsburgh region. From the Dark Knight Rises to Netflix series Mindhunter, to an upcoming Ethan Cohen movie, groundbreaking entertainment is being created in southwestern PA. And then there is Lancaster County. Eighty percent of the Billboard top 100 tours were built out and conceptualized at Rock Lititz, a conglomeration of co...

Pennsylvania once boasted one of the most powerful industrial economies in the world. Steel, textiles, glass, cars, matchbooks — all were made right here in the Commonwealth in large factories that anchored small towns and big cities alike. As we all know, during the 20th century, things changed. Manufacturing moved elsewhere. Mills closed. Jobs were lost. Populations shifted.  But many of those b...

Arts are a driver of growth and vitality — that's the argument being made by economic development and local government leaders across Pennsylvania. In a lively conversation, we heard from two such folks, one from Erie County and one from York County, about how their communities support, fund, and catalyze the creative sector, and how that work is paying unexpected dividends. 

In this episode, we’re talking about immigrants — artists who came from abroad to make Pennsylvania their home. Through their work, these two men are enriching their communities and adding to the commonwealth's bounty of public art.

This episode covers Pennsylvania’s flourishing games industry. We’ve come a long way since the days of the arcade, and so has this fascinating field, which runs the gamut from large institutional degree programs to boutique video game designers.

In our first episode of Prism, we spoke with Hannah Harley of Indiana, PA and Erin Ninehouser of Ambridge, PA in Beaver County, western Pennsylvania. These two women have committed themselves to creative pursuits outside of resource-rich and art-dense cities, and they’re happier and more fulfilled for it. The lesson is clear: In a small place, you can have a huge impact.