UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Within the Penn State Great Valley campus, an exhibition space offers an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate art made by and about Pennsylvanians. The Henry Gallery, opened in 2010, displays multiple exhibitions a year focused on local and regional art and artists with a connection to Penn State or Pennsylvania.
The space is named for Joseph and Marilyn Henry, who made a gift to expand the gallery’s facilities, art acquisitions and programming in 2013.
“The Henrys have continued to support our campus arts and culture programming over the years, including providing a generous matching donation for the past two Giving Tuesday campaigns,” said gallery coordinator Becky Stanko. “Joe and Marilyn regularly attend our gallery receptions and love to meet the artists behind the work.”
The gallery includes three connected exhibit areas, totaling about 1,700 square feet of space on the second floor of the Penn State Great Valley Conference Center. Four to five exhibits are displayed each year, with special exhibits occasionally during the summer to take advantage of the space when there is lower foot traffic.
“Campus is quiet during the summer, but we don’t love white walls, so we have been creative. In 2024, we hosted an exhibit featuring faculty, staff, student and alumni work,” Stanko said. “I rarely have opportunities to work with students, so I loved having the chance to get to know a few. It was exceptionally rewarding to showcase the creativity on our campus.”