The MAC Arts Center
A Third Place of continuous programing and opportunities for arts and culture
Live Performance - Visual Art - Artist Gatherings - Classes - Creative Experiences.
the story so far
For 16 years, Media Arts Council (MAC) has been a leader in the Delaware County arts scene – programming everything from a fine art gallery, a film festival, and a multitude of live performances, from professional music to community poetry readings, craft making to protest art.
the MAC arts center - your “Third Space”
At the new MAC Arts Center, we do all this and more! Our new home on State Street in the heart of Media allows MAC to make the arts the true beacon of a welcoming and diverse downtown.
MAC exists to connect local artists and their work with you, and MAC accomplish this by making a “Third Place” – not your home, not your work, but a Third Place to experience your life, in a public sphere, a place to experience art and culture continuously with the people closest to you.
This is, at its best and most complete, the purpose of art: from the Hindu veda about art’s purpose – art gives us laughter, teaches us how to live, and opens us to the wonder of the universe.
In our own small way, MAC can accomplish this.
Let’s imagine…
imagine a great day
In a place, where you can bring your cup of coffee, experience great visual art, while listening to a rebroadcast of a comedy performance from the night before…
Coming back at lunch to hear a radio drama written by the writers group who meet in The MAC…
And come back before your date night dinner to hear a mini concert by a local singer songwriter.
That’s a pretty great day!
Here’s another:
Coffee roasting class in the morning, then spend some time with the latest bound art book by one of our MAC Artists while listening to the African Drum concert from the night before…
Lunch is an avant garde sonic exhibit from our current guest artist, the kids (or the kid in all of us) come to the MAC to make holiday cards or to start the Media Treasure Hunt, followed by the serial audio drama A Murder in Media before dinner…
Back again after dinner for dessert catered by one of our restaurant partners and a showing of award-winning short films from the Media Film Festival.
Whew!
Experimentation is the name of the game
MAC produces live programming that seeks to feed the human need to examine our lives through art and support artists creating to that need.
As we enter a post-Covid world filled with hope, we have an opportunity, and an obligation, to re-examine and re-invent how art and culture venues serve the public.
What’s Happening - Live at the MAC
Music
Classical music, World Music, Singer/songwriters, Folk, Jazz, Cabaret.
Jasper Street Jams
Live music, street food, and vendors - block parties behind the MAC Arts Center
Improv Comedy Troupes
Audio Drama and Spoken Word
Readings, Plays, Screenplays, Short Stories, Abridged Classics, Historical Writings
Experimental Performance and Solo Performance Artists
Poetry, Storytelling, Art Slams, Open Mic, Variety Shows
Readings and Lectures
And More!
Art on the walls
We now have the ability for regional and national guest artists to exhibit at the same time as our local professional artists—an amazing opportunity. This blend of local, regional, and national art will push our own artists into the larger conversation, which allows for greater diversity from both inside and outside the region, and this diversity creates excitement in Media and what it offers.
Live programming and the digital world
All the live programming can be livestreamed, turned into podcasts and the like, allowing MAC to offer recordings of the live performances during the day, bringing revenue both to MAC as well as the artists. This is an important experiment, creating a world where local and regional live arts can use the digital world to increase revenue, reach a wider audience, and create fans across the world.
Membership and clubs
In addition to member benefits like discounts, membership to the MAC opens the opportunity to participate in various clubs to suit your interests or start a new hobby.
Film Clubs
State Street Movie Night meeting at various times during the year as a discussion group for curated films led by State Street Movie Night members. Emphasis is on forgotten classics and a lively post screening discussion.
Films at The MAC Focus is on films that are a part of our collective cultural literacy.
Media Film Festival Pop-Up Fests - curated film evenings from our acclaimed Media Film Festival: Best of, comedies, horror, and more.
Writers Group– a monthly meeting haven for writers of any kind, to share together in a supportive space.
Open Studio – a monthly meeting sanctuary for fine artists of any discipline.
Board Games BYO – A weekly opening of the space to board gamers and RPGers. MAC would provide tables, and snacks for sale.
Needlework and Textile Group - A community of folks interested in sharing and exploring contemporary and traditional needlework and textile arts, and encourage creative growth in things fiber: needlepoint, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, felting, weaving, collaging, punch needle, quilting, and more.
Drop-In Craft Making – An interesting evolution of our craft making workshops, we will offer our craft making workshops as a package of supplies, and a recorded instruction video. Participants can sit and craft from a curated selection at any time of the day that is good for them. And the glitter stays at MAC!
MAC And State Street
MAC’s programming is a complement to our partner restaurants and retail stores, giving room for art before and after dinner, as well as during the peak retail hours. Exciting opportunities and partnerships will be available between MAC and restaurants to make packages of live programming and dining.
What’s next?
Your presence is what makes this exciting: bring someone with you – come to the concerts, the readings, the craft making. Bring a cup of coffee in the morning and stare deeply into an artist’s vision of the world. Bring friends to an improv comedy show, and laugh like you are still in 5th grade.
You, putting together thoughts and emotions that are fresh and new, feeling joy in a novel idea, anger at an injustice, seeing beauty where you didn’t expect it – your response is the purpose of art.
You can also sponsor incredible artists and thinkers – ticket sales do not cover the full costs of bringing professional artists to you, and we have a mission to make the arts available to everyone.
Your support brings top-talent artists to Media (something good for you) and helps bring great art to everyone in our community (something good for everyone else). You should brag about that. And if you don’t want to – let us do it for you!
Help build a place of arts and culture that makes Media the place to go for experiences that grow us as human beings and connect our community in bonds of joy and creativity.
WHO IS MAC
Board Of Directors
Stephanie Sher, President
Adam Thurstlic, Treasurer
Courtney Brown, Secretary
Debbi Bromley, Brian Kors, Caitlin McMahon, Stacy Olkowski, Katie Pierangeli
Executive Director: Liz McClearn
Programs Director: Jared Reed
Music Director: Jeff Thomas
Marketing Committee: Caitlin McMahon (Chair), Brian Kors, Kaitlin Pierangeli
Media Film Festival and Media Fright Fest: Brad Sukala (Co-Chair MFF), Darryl Ridgeway (Co-Chair MFF), Karen Chiarini (Co-Chair FF), Lisa Pietras (Co-Chair FF), Claude Blanchette, Courtney Brown, Mary Ann Fiebert, Jeff Halsey, Elizabeth Jennings, Liz McClearn, Tamme McClelland, Craig Mikus, Andrew Proctor, Shelly Rabuse,
Special Exhibits: Robin Beaver (Chair), Amelia Cain, Cheryl Schlenker, Stephanie Sher
MAC Artists Collective: Charley Parker (Chair), Carrie Barcomb, Amelia Cain, Katey Carlis, Patricia Danzon, Laurie Doran, Carol Hannon, Matiko Mamaladze, Shannan McConnell, Diane Mont, Rick Prieur, Cheryl Schlenker, José Sevillano, Carol Wade, Merle Weismer
PhotoEx: John Benigno, Bill Patterson, Rick Prieur, Rob Sartain