Arts and culture breathing new economic life into PA communities
Policy Committee examines jobs created by arts and culture businesses
Central PA Delegation April 30, 2025 | 12:41 PM
READING, April 30 – Arts and culture remains a vehicle for change in Pennsylvania’s communities, transforming and reimagining buildings vacated by businesses and industry. They also have a track record of being an economic engine, driving job creation and revitalizing cities and towns throughout the state.
The House Majority Policy Committee hosted a roundtable discussion on the economic impact of arts and culture and toured the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts. A recording of the roundtable’s livestream can be found here.
“Too often conversations about economic development overlook the arts and cultural sector, a sector that is deeply woven into the fabric of our community,” said Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Fretiz, who hosted the roundtable and represents portions of Berks County. “The arts and culture sector is a powerful economic engine, breathing life into our community by generating more than $25 billion annually in Pennsylvania.”
The event took place in a former manufacturing hub, where Wilson Products once created aviator goggles and high-altitude oxygen masks for the military.
“We learned from entrepreneurs more about these local businesses that provide residents with the opportunity to create,” said House Majority Policy Committee Chairman Ryan Bizzarro, who represents portions of Erie County. “These businesses also can provide the driving economic force our communities need. They can transform vacant factories into vibrant businesses, and they can attract younger workers to our aging cities and townships – reviving communities.”
The roundtable discussion touched on the thousands of jobs created through arts and culture, including numerous jobs created when filming occurs in the state. Testifiers requested a tax credit increase of 5% for smaller regional film production companies that film outside the major metro areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Rep. Joe Ciresi, DMontgomery, highlighted his effort – once again – to drive jobs through his Bringing Film Production Back to Pennsylvania bill, or H.B. 1317, that would raise the Film Production Tax Credit to $125 million.
Wednesday’s House Majority Policy roundtable featured input from Levi Landis, GoggleWorks Executive Director; Susan Rohn, Yocum Institute for Arts Education; Cammie Harris, Reading Film Festival CEO, Executive Director; Daniel Egusquiza, Barrio Alegria founder, Executive Director; Brian Adams, The Art Room owner; Josephina Encarnacion, LaRocina Atelier owner; Cory Varona-Corniel, OCOA Beauty owner; Aries Franklin, The Poet Smiley, poet; Lucine Sihelnik, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, President and CEO; and Valerie Trollinger, Reading Symphony Orchestra, Ph.D., Kutztown University music faculty.
Information about this hearing and other House Majority Policy Committee hearings can be found at pahouse.com/policy. Photos to be used for publication can be found at pahouse.com/PolicyCommittee/Galleries.