GoggleWorks Center for Arts | Reading

GoggleWorks Center for the Arts — Reading, Pennsylvania

Origins and Mission

Founded: 2005 in the former Willson Goggle Factory complex (est. 1871), once the world’s largest manufacturer of industrial safety goggles.

Purpose: To transform a 145,000-square-foot industrial site into a community arts hub that nurtures creativity, provides accessible arts education, and anchors downtown cultural revitalization.

Name: Honors the building’s goggle-making legacy while symbolizing new “lenses” for viewing art.

Campus and Facilities

Studios (nine disciplines): Glassblowing hot shop, flameworking, ceramics, metals/jewelry, woodworking, printmaking, photography, digital media, and darkroom film lab.

Galleries:

Cohen and Rolf Glass Galleries for regional and national exhibitions.

Schmidt Gallery for emerging artists and community shows.

Café Gallery showcasing student work.

Berks LaunchBox: A Penn State–affiliated makerspace with 3-D printers, laser cutters, and business incubator services.

Boscov Film Theatre: 131-seat cinema screening independent, foreign, and documentary films, plus monthly art-house classics.

Classrooms: Eight flexible rooms equipped for drawing, painting, and mixed-media workshops.

Resident Artist Apartments: Eight live-work lofts on the fourth floor, each with an adjoining private studio.

Outdoor Arts Park: Sculpture garden, amphitheater for summer concerts, and community kiln pad.

Programs and Education

Classes and Workshops: Quarterly catalog offering more than 200 courses for all ages—eight-week sessions, weekend intensives, and one-night “try-it” experiences.

Youth Outreach: After-school programs with Reading School District, Saturday youth labs, and a summer Creativity Camp that serves more than 500 children annually.

Scholarships: Need-based tuition assistance covering up to 90 percent of class fees; funded by local foundations and an annual charity auction.

Residencies:

Studio Residency (one year): Provides studio space, stipend, teaching opportunities, culminating exhibition.

International Visiting Artist (six weeks): Focus on cross-cultural exchange; past participants from Japan, Ghana, and Brazil.

Community Partnerships: Inclusive Arts programming with Abilities in Motion for artists with disabilities; Spanish-language ceramics courses with Centro Hispano.

Exhibitions and Events

Annual Juried Exhibition: Draws 400+ submissions nationwide; juror lecture and gallery talk accompany opening.

Arts Festival Reading (first weekend of June): Two-day outdoor fair with 80 juried artisans, live glass pours, and regional food trucks.

Second Sunday Open House: Monthly building-wide event with free demos, make-and-take projects, and live music.

Holiday Marketplace (late November): Handmade gifts by 150 local artists; proceeds benefit youth scholarships.

Film Series: Weekly screenings with director Q&As, plus the annual ReadingFilmFEST collaboration.

Economic and Social Impact

Hosts more than 225,000 visitors each year, generating substantial foot traffic for downtown restaurants and small businesses.

Provides studio space to over 40 working artists, contributing to a growing creative-economy cluster.

Offers 4,000+ tuition-free outreach seats annually, expanding arts access in a city where 66 percent of residents identify as low- or moderate-income.

Visitor Essentials

Location: 201 Washington Street, Reading, PA, at the western gateway of downtown.

Hours: Monday–Saturday 9 a.m.–9 p.m., Sunday noon–7 p.m. Studios close one hour earlier.

Admission: Galleries and common areas free; class fees vary; film tickets typically $7–$9.

Parking: Free on-site lot for 200 cars and adjacent metered street parking.

Amenities: Belly Kitchen Café offering espresso, flatbreads, and locally roasted coffee; facility fully ADA-accessible with elevators and gender-neutral restrooms.

Significance

GoggleWorks Center for the Arts stands as one of the nation’s largest interactive art centers housed in a repurposed factory. By blending heritage preservation with forward-looking creative programs, it serves as a catalyst for artistic growth, education, and downtown renewal—inviting residents and visitors alike to make, view, and celebrate art in the heart of Reading.