ARTS Oil City, led by Barbara Pierce, is dedicated to arts revitalization and the artist relocation program. The program is housed within the Oil Region Alliance and receives support from the City of Oil City, which celebrates our local creative professionals and the contributions they make.
Artist relocation
The mission of leveraging the robust artistic legacy of the region, along with affordability and the beauty of the natural surroundings, is a strength of the arts revitalization efforts. Oil City’s artist relocation program is among the most well-known in the country. While cities and towns of all sizes are actively recruiting artists and writers to relocate, our program has a unique appeal. Individuals and couples have come from big cities and small towns across the country. “Artists attracted to Oil City as potential home are looking for many different things. Some are attracted by the affordability of homes, and others are drawn to the presence of the river and the natural beauty of the area,” says Barbara Pierce. “But one of the main things that I’ve been hearing from the artists, writers and performers who have moved here over the past few years, is that they find our community to be more welcoming than others they have researched. We’ve been working hard to expand on the professional development and creative entrepreneurial support available to artists, and those who are taking advantage of it are seeing the results in their small businesses”.
Since the start of the ARTS Oil City, program nearly 100 artists, craftspeople and creative professionals have relocated to Oil City. In 2024, three families moved through the program, and several others made trips to explore and house hunt for a future move. In addition to artists moving here specifically because of the program, many business professionals and retirees have cited that they chose to move to Oil City or Venango County because of the reputation we have for a thriving arts community.
In 2025, ARTS Oil City will continue to host creatives visiting Oil City to research for their potential moves. With grant funding through the PA Council on the Arts, the program received national attention with an ad in Novum Artis Magazine (The New Artistic), and word is spreading even further about the opportunities available here. Inquiries about Oil City come in regularly and word about the arts here is reaching a broader range of artists who work in diverse disciplines.
Pierce adds, “Our arts revitalization program is an important component of Oil City’s revitalization. The creative professionals who move here make contributions to our local economy when they purchase homes, pay taxes, support our small businesses, and even start businesses of their own.” Artists often look at the world through a different lens. They can see potential in the vacant downtown buildings and relish their walks across the river in all seasons. Artists moving here from other places are eager to be a part of the community. If you are a native or long-time resident, ARTS Oil City encourages you to give a hearty welcome to the artists who make the choice to move here and contribute to our economy and revitalization. Try to look at our surroundings from their perspective and appreciate their views of the potential for the future.
Art studios in National Transit Building
In the spring of 2023, a partnership agreement was signed between the Oil Region Alliance and the Oil City Civic Center (the non-profit owner of the National Transit Building.) ARTS Oil City and the ORA now manage the second-floor studios. Studio rentals have increased and there are currently twenty-one creatives working from 25 studios. ORA and The Venango Area Chamber of Commerce have hosted two ribbon cutting ceremony for eight artists, and a third ribbon cutting to showcase three additional new studios is planned for later this winter.
Barbara Pierce shares, “Having affordable downtown studios available to artists is important to the creative community. And the addition of these professionals is significant to the downtown businesses as well. The studios are an asset to the community, and the artists attract customers both from the region and from out of town. These visitors then eat at our restaurants and coffee shops, and they look for other local shopping opportunities.
For artists interested in renting a studio, there are a few affordably priced smaller and medium sized spaces currently available. There is an application process and review to become a member of the Transit Studio Artists Association, required for studio rentals.
Pierce says, “The talent of the professional creatives who work in the transit building is a source of pride in our community.” Adding, “The studios are a tourist attraction. Artists regularly greet tourists who visit from places near and far after hearing or reading about the history of the Transit building and its adaptive reuse into arts studios. I welcome interest from professional artists and designers, amateurs and emerging artists, musicians, writers, and other creatives who need a dedicated space to create, teach, and/or sell their work.”
Artists Sunday: A national day of art
ARTS Oil City has coordinated local participation in Artists Sunday for the past three years. Artists Sunday is a nationwide event held on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, with the goal of shining a spotlight on creative professionals during the busiest holiday shopping weekend of the year. ARTS Oil City invited artists throughout the region to participate and encouraged shoppers to “Shop Local and Shop ART.” The event has grown each year with businesses across the north and south sides opening their doors to host pop-ups for local and out of town artists.
The City of Oil City has issued a proclamation making the Sunday after Thanksgiving a day to support the arts. Mayor John Kluck says, “I urge all residents to support artists all year round. But, especially on Artists Sunday, celebrate by exploring the works of local artists and consider the purchase of original artwork. Supporting our artists not only benefits them, but also contributes to the growth and vitality of our community. Let us come together to celebrate the creativity and diversity of our local artists and to show our appreciation for their valuable contributions to our city.”
Save the Date: National Artists Sunday is scheduled for Nov. 30, 2025. Artists, writers and makers are invited to make plans now to participate. All local businesses and restaurants are encouraged to consider hosting an artist, musician, poet or other creative for the day.
Oil City selected by Bridgeway Capital
ARTS Oil City and the Oil Regional Alliance are very excited that Oil City has been selected by Bridgeway Capital to be the next Cohort City in their ACRE Program (Alliance for Creative Rural Economies). Bridgeway’s mission to empower creative entrepreneurs in rural communities through financial resilience, creative fulfillment, and social impact will make a valuable contribution to the individuals selected. The ACRE program is designed to foster resilient creative businesses in disinvested areas across a multistate region of Appalachia.
Participants in the nine-month program will work closely with business coaches, regional industry experts and their peers to develop business plans, explore new revenue streams, and build connections within their local creative economy. This education and business development is financially supported by Bridgeway and represents a significant financial investment in the local community.
“Bridgeway is excited to add Oil City as one of three new ACRE communities,” said Adam Kenney, Chief Program Officer at Bridgeway Capital. “Oil City has a rich cultural history and a growing creative sector that will benefit from the tailored support that ACRE provides. These entrepreneurs bring commercial and creative energy to rural revitalization, and we look forward to helping them realize their potential.”
Local and regional artists had the opportunity to attend informational sessions, between October and early December, to learn about requirements and benefits of the program and application requirements. Participants for the competitive program were selected at the end of the year and the intensive 9-month program began on January 14th. Program participants include: Christopher Doll, Kaleb Lewis, Ryan Beichner, Skylar Austin, Katelyn Ziegler, Amanda Pica, Cassie Rhoads, Chelsey Rhoads, Diana Demey, Heidi Wirtner, Tracey Lander-Garrett, Angela Wyant, Crystal Roser, John Manders, Rachel Stine, Scott McCray, CJ Hurley. Gary Svetz was selected by ACRE to be the cohort’s local Business Coach. Barbara Piece, working through her own business, Century Arts Design Studio, is the Ecosystem Coordinator.
”Creative businesses are vital to the economic renewal of rural areas, and Oil City is no exception,” said John R. Phillips, II, ORA President and CEO. “Bridgeway’s ACRE program will help local artists, makers, and designers tap into new markets, strengthen their financial foundations, and make lasting contributions to Oil City’s downtown revitalization efforts and the Oil Region.”
Looking ahead
In looking to the next chapter of the arts as a part of community revitalization, Pierce says, “I am very excited for the opportunities we have in Oil City. We live in a beautiful river valley with state parks and forests nearby. We have an incredible diversity of creative professionals who take inspiration from our surroundings every day and they bring their light, energy and vision to our lives. I think it is an ideal time to promote Oil City as a great relocation destination!” Community leaders are working hard to develop new opportunities for the preservation of our homes and buildings, to promote new future-thinking development, and working towards a plan to make our river more accessible from downtown. So, we have a great small town to call home, but when we need them, major art markets are within driving distance. With technology and a broad acceptance for working remotely, living in a small town and “making it as a full-time artist” is more achievable than ever! Cities and towns are always changing and evolving. This community has embraced the arts as an important part of our lives now and into the future. I am proud to be a part of it. I love that we can keep our natural landscape clean and healthy and find new ways to thrive as a community.”
Get involved
As the ARTS Oil City team looks to the future, they would like to encourage others to get involved! There are many ways you can support artists and the efforts of the arts revitalization committee.
Shop local galleries like the Transit Art Gallery and Gifts (TAGG), where original art, printed reproductions and handmade fine crafts can be purchased.
Attend open studios or make appointments to see the work of Oil City’s artists in their studios.
Follow artists you admire through their newsletters, websites and social media. Tell your friends about the arts in our community and invite them to attend arts events with you.
Think of art first when you’re buying gifts or greeting cards throughout the year.
Don’t be intimidated! Many artists like sharing stories of the inspiration or meaning behind their work. If you see something that interests you, ask the artist about it!
If you want to support and collect art, but don’t know where to begin, or don’t think you have the budget for it, start small. Learn about the artists that interest you, follow their work for a while, and buy slowly as you are able.
