PCA&D’s The Agency providing design work to five York non-profits this summer

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Thursday, May 5th, 2022

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has partnered with Give Local York to select five York non-profits to receive design services this summer. The winning York non-profits were announced during the big Give Local York event on May 6.

Each organization will receive valuable design services that they otherwise could not afford from The Agency, which is the College’s in-house creative agency. The Agency is designed to give students real-world experience as art directors, project managers, researchers, illustrators, designers, and creative thinkers.

This summer, The Agency is piloting an internship project in York County, with four students who were selected based on their interest, skill set, creativity, and enthusiasm. The students are Paige Bowermaster ’23, Graphic Design; Ezra Davulcu ‘24, Illustration; Cleo Kendrick ‘24, Graphic Design; and Austin Taylor ‘24, Graphic Design.

“We’re so excited to help non-profits while showcasing our emerging artists,” says The Agency’s director, Bill Dussinger, a part time instructor at PCA&D in Graphic Design and Illustration. ”The students gain valuable experience while working with real clients and making a real difference in the community.”

Nineteen York non-profits applied for the opportunity to be part of this initiative. “The response was overwhelming, making the choices very difficult,” says Dussinger, who hopes this project will continue after the summer in order to help more York non-profits.

“We are thrilled to partner with Pennsylvania College of Art & Design on this special prize,” says Meagan Given, executive director of the White Rose Leadership Institute, which hosts Give Local York. “Beyond raising dollars and engaging donors, Give Local York is an opportunity for our nonprofit organizations to grow their capacity around marketing and storytelling. This prize helps raise the bar for these lucky organizations beyond Give Day.”

The College is a champion of creative partnerships and is delighted to pilot this program through the summer. For more than 14 years, the College has held a Designathon event to offer one-day design services for regional non-profits. The idea of The Agency grew from this annual event, allowing College artists and designers more time and space to work on larger marketing initiatives.

“We are excited for this partnership in York County, which is where the seeds of our College began,” says Collin Holder, executive director of external affairs at PCA&D. “We hope to continue to engage with arts organizations and non-profits in the region to explore more creative opportunities.”

The winning York non-profits are:

The Well’s Food Pantry
Suicide Prevention of York”s “Make It Okay” mental health campaign
Rainbow Rose Center
Lawilowan American Indian Festival’s Muddy Run Powwow event
Teaching Museum for the Fiber Arts & Textiles