Spruce Arts

Spruce Arts, an artist residency program

Based in Indiana County in western Pennsylvania from 2019-2022, the Spruce Arts residency program invited artists from around the world to find inspiration in the small Appalachian town. Harley was the founding director of the organization.

Spruce Art Residency’s primary aim was to provide artists with dedicated time for creative work. The residency session offered the potential for opportunities that included a solo exhibition in the Clark Gallery, public art installations, weekly critiques with fellow artists, community workshops, and artist talks in historic Indiana, PA. The residency utilized under-used spaces that were previously reserved for a student population, which had declined sharply since 2012.

Since its founding in 2019, Spruce Arts has hosted 50 artists and several exhibitions, artist talks, and workshops. In October 2020, Spruce Arts partnered with Dripped on the Road to install fourteen murals in downtown Indiana, PA. Spruce Arts continues to be an advocate and supportive collaborating organization on a number of efforts to bolster the creative community of Indiana County.