Creative York

10/22/2026

Last call for art!
Submissions for Eight by Eight, Creative York’s Annual Small Works Show, are due this Friday, October 23.

Artists may submit up to two original works in any medium. Artwork must measure 8" x 8", including the frame, and be priced under $250.

Find submission guidelines and details at https://creativeyork.org/artists/calls-for-artists/

10/20/2026

Do you carry around a sketchbook wherever you go? Are you a huge fan of illustration, cartooning, and comics? Join us for Sketch Club!

Sketch Club | Ages 11 - 14 | Tuesdays | 6 -8 pm

Students will learn about how to utilize different tools and techniques to show texture, shadow, and more by just using black ink. No prior artmaking experience is required, and if you have a sketchbook, bring it along!

Sign up at https://creativeyork.org/event/sketch-club-leveling-up-lineart/2026-11-03/

10/19/2026

BLUE: Interpretations in Color & Meaning is now on display at the Andrew Duarte Memorial Gallery in the West York Borough Offices through January 14

Learn more at https://creativeyork.org/gallery/community-gallery-collaborations/

10/19/2026

CALL FOR WRITERS: Writer’s Eye Literary Competition

Creative York invites adults, college students, and students in grades 4–12, to find inspiration in the visual arts and respond with an original poem or short story.

Visit Creative York to explore the current exhibitions of Donna Sylvester and Jessica Jane Julius, on view through November 7, and choose a work of art that inspires your writing.

Submission Deadline: December 23, 2026

Learn more and submit your entry at https://creativeyork.org/programs/the-writers-eye-literary-competition/

10/16/2026

Come see us this Sunday at the Annual Fall Oyster Festival!

THREE DAYS TO GO

Know before you go, part 2

What's new: An expanded menu
We're bringing you more drool-inducing items than ever to choose from, including:
Maryland crab soup from White Rose Bar & Grill
Pulled pork sandwiches and mac and cheese from Susie Ques BBQ
Salads from Wired Chef
Fish and chips
French fries

And we'll still have traditional festival favorites raw oysters and fried oyster sandwiches (with bigger oysters!), hot dogs, brats and soft pretzels. Returning food vendors include PA Dairymen's Association Farm Show milk shakes, Gnawjaw's Bacon on a Stick, and the Friends of the History Center's mouth-watering baked goodies.

What's new: More to explore
Take some time for one of the free timed guided tours of the Gates House and Plough Tavern, then head over to the History Center Museum to catch the three Lightning Talks, each running about 30 minutes:

Noon: Story time with Martin Library. This is for families and younger children.
1:30 p.m.: Neicy DeShields-Moulton on her family’s roots in the oyster trade
3 p.m.: Kenya Brown Feeser on the art of restoring art and artifacts
Also, remember to go to the third floor to see the new "Revolutionary York" exhibit, which tells the story of York County during the Revolution.

Families, be sure to also spend time in the Kids Corral, full of friends ready to bring the fun, including Shear Heaven and their alpacas, Keystone Kidspace, Creative York, York Art Association and Razzle Dazzle balloon twisting. Speaking of York Art Association, after the festival stop by the open house at their new home in the Little Green Church at 591 Linden Ave., York. They're open until 6 p.m.

We're all set for a perfect fall day, with sunshine and temperatures in the 50s. Come see us on Sunday!

What: The 52nd Annual Fall Oyster Festival, presented by White Rose Bar & Grill
When: Sunday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Colonial Complex, Pershing Avenue between Market and Philadelphia streets, downtown York
Cost: Free admission. Food, drinks and merch are pay as you go, and proceeds benefit the History Center and its work in preserving and telling the stories of York County's history.
For details: The link to the Fall Oyster Festival page is in the comments.

10/16/2026

Small Works | Eight by Eight submissions due next week:
Friday, October 23rd

Artists may submit up to two original works in any medium, including 2D and 3D. Artwork must measure no more than 8" x 8", including the frame, and be priced under $250.

Find full submission guidelines and details at https://creativeyork.org/artists/calls-for-artists/

10/15/2026

Gallery tours bring art to life! Students explored with Donna Sylvester, our resident artist, and experimented with fiber arts!

10/14/2026

Henri Matisse was known for his bold use of color, expressive shapes, and willingness to explore new techniques. Even in his seventies, when his health made traditional painting difficult, he found a new way to create art using colorful paper cut-outs, a technique he called “drawing with scissors.”

His work reminds us that creativity isn't limited to one technique or medium, and that sometimes the simplest shapes and colors can make the biggest impact.

Join us for Paint Like: Matisse with Tom and explore the techniques and artistic approach of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

Saturday, October 17 | 1–3pm
Creative York
Sign Up: https://creativeyork.org/event/paint-like-matisse/

10/13/2026

Sign up for Hand Lettering! Saturday, October 24, 1-4pm | creativeyork.org

10/13/2026

What does the color blue mean to you?

Join us for the opening reception this Thursday, October 15, from 5–6:30 PM.

Discover how artists interpret one of art's most compelling colors in Blue, now on exhibit at the West York Borough Gallery!

Featuring artwork across a variety of mediums, each artist brings their own perspective to the color blue, exploring its meaning through their creative expression.

On exhibit October 15, 2026 – January 14, 2027.

Learn More: https://creativeyork.org/gallery/community-gallery-collaborations/

West York Borough