A Look at our Programs & Services

NTCA fosters awareness and appreciation of the cultural traditions produced by the unique blend of diverse cultures found in our region through annual and special events, exhibits, the PA North Country Artisan Center & Store, Northern Tier Buy Fresh Buy Local, educational programs and community involvement. NTCA also serves as one of seven Regional Folk Arts Support Centers in partnership with the PA Council on the Arts (PCA) in a statewide Folk Arts Infrastructure Initiative that seeks “to strengthen awareness and understanding, as well as participation in, traditional arts across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

In support of its mission and the Folk Arts Infrastructure Initiative, NTCA now offers support to artists and community organizations from 10 northern Pennsylvania counties: Bradford, Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming.

The PA North Country is home to rolling hills, deep forests, small towns, lush farmlands, and the West and North Branches of the mighty Susquehanna River. It is this landscape, in part, that has defined the heritage and culture of the people who call this region home. The agriculture and lumber industries were, and continue to be, major influences in the region, and in recognition of this influence, many of NTCA’s projects focus on the connections the people have to the land. As drilling for natural gas continues to expand within the region, this industry too will leave its mark on not only the landscape but also our heritage and culture and in so doing become a part of NTCA’s projects and programs.

On-going projects of NTCA include:

“From Heart to Hand” Exhibit
An exhibit that showcases the work of artists living and working in Pennsylvania’s North Country. The site of the exhibit moves around the region each year to provide exposure to different communities.  We are currently using space in our Artisan Center in Towanda (PaNCACS) to showcase one artist at a time in a continual “From Heart to Hand” exhibit.

Agriculture Heritage Day
A day of demonstrations, educational displays, and craft and Farmers Market vendors along River Street outside the Washington Street Station in Towanda.

Northern Tier Buy Fresh Buy Local
NTCA serves as the chapter administrator for the Northern Tier Buy Fresh Buy Local program. The program was designed to increase demand, consumption and production of local foods – thus providing healthier food for all and supporting local agriculture. It is our goal to make it easier for consumers to find, choose and appreciate great local foods….and to support the farmers and lands which produce them. The Northern Tier Chapter includes Bradford, Potter, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming Counties. We are under the statewide PASA chapter and are members of the national FoodRoutes network. Along with our page on this site, please check out our page at www.buylocalpa.org/northerntier

PA North Country Artisan Center & Store

Featuring items produced by people who live and work in Pennsylvania’s Northern Tier and New York’s Southern Tier Counties. The store, which now features the work of over 60 regional artists and food producers, has a vision of creating a space that:

• Provides retail space for local artisans and food producers to sell their goods.
• Provides assistance to the small business owner specializing in locally produced products by helping them market and build awareness of their products.
• Creates tools for local consumers and tourists that will help them connect, allowing for the purchase of regional farm and craft products.
• Educates the public about cultural traditions, history and art of the Pennsylvania Northern Tier and assists tradition bearers and traditional artists in the preservation of their work through interpretive exhibits and demonstrations/classes.

Recent NTCA special projects include:

Food Fact Cards
Designed for students in grades Kindergarten through 6th, these colorful cards highlight fun facts about 50 different foods that are grown or raised within the Northern Tier region including seasonal availability and local farmers who grow/raise them. Cards highlight fruits, vegetables, herbs, protein sources (meats, eggs, dairy, etc.) and sweeteners (honey and maple) that are produced commercially as well as by home growers, gatherers or hunters.  School Districts using the cards in the past two years include Canton, Towanda and Troy. Sponsored by Endless Mountains RC & D Council, Chemung Canal Trust Company and the Allen F. Pierce Foundation.

2008: Year of the Barn
A multidisciplinary study and celebration of Northern Tier barns, agriculture and farm life. The project included solicitation of individual surveys of barns, two barn dances, a DVD, a barn guide, numerous presentations and raising the general awareness of the beauty and heritage contained in the barns around us.  DVD’s are available for sale.

Vendor-Buyer Day
A one-day networking event designed for retailers, restaurateurs and hoteliers (predominantly B&B’s), schools, assisted living/nursing homes, hospitals, etc. within the PA Northern Tier and NY Southern Tier to meet and network with Northern Tier artisans, crafters, growers and producers. Primary focus is to develop relationships amongst these groups, discuss potential wholesale/retail opportunities, determine interest, and assess needs/gaps/possibilities. Held October 26, 2009.

Forest Heritage Project
Designed to connect people in rural Bradford, Lycoming and Potter Counties to their heritage, and help them appreciate their shared regional forest culture. Presentations and hands-on activities took place in schools, museums, historic sites and at a local fiber farm.