HARRISBURG, PA — The Shapiro administration on Tuesday honored 30 older Pennsylvanians whose artwork was selected for the second annual Older Artists of PA Showcase, highlighting an initiative that state officials say supports healthy aging through creative engagement while complementing broader investments in services for older adults.
First Lady Lori Shapiro hosted a reception at the Governor’s Residence recognizing the selected artists, their families, state officials and community partners before the artists traveled to the Pennsylvania State Capitol, where their work is on display throughout August in the East Wing Rotunda.
The exhibition, presented by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and Pennsylvania Creative Industries, powered by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, features artists age 60 and older from across the Commonwealth. Works are displayed in three categories: Professional, Nonprofessional, and Artist Over 60 Living with Dementia.
State officials said the dementia category was added this year to recognize that people living with dementia continue to express creativity and contribute to their communities through art.
“The artists include people who have spent decades developing their craft, those who discovered a passion for art later in life, and people living with dementia who continue to express themselves and connect with others through their artistry,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich said. “We are proud to share their work and allow the public to see aging through a lens of creativity.”
The showcase is part of a partnership between the Department of Aging and Pennsylvania Creative Industries that grew out of Aging Our Way, PA, the administration’s 10-year strategic plan for older adults. According to the administration, the plan received a $1 million increase in the 2026-27 state budget to support initiatives focused on social connection, lifelong learning and community engagement.
Since taking office in 2023, Gov. Josh Shapiro has invested more than $20 million in programs intended to help older Pennsylvanians remain safe, healthy and engaged in their communities, the administration said.
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Chair Susan S. Cohen said the exhibition reflects the breadth of artistic talent among older residents.
“The talent and variety on display in this year’s Showcase highlights the creativity of Pennsylvania’s senior community,” Cohen said. “It is a wonderful illustration of the Commonwealth’s creative vitality.”
The exhibition also supports the Department of Aging’s Office of Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders, which is developing Pennsylvania’s next five-year state plan for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and related disorders. The office was established in 2024 through legislation supported by the Shapiro administration and General Assembly.
The exhibit is open to the public during regular Capitol visiting hours throughout August. A gallery featuring the selected artwork and additional information is available at www.pa.gov/OlderArtistsShowcase.
Artists selected for this year’s showcase represent 18 counties, including Chester County artist Neal Grubb. Other participating artists are Janet Powers and Pam Wisor (Adams); Mark Colvin, Sheila Klotz, Jeannie McGuire, Grace Siyufy and Sayeed Syed (Allegheny); Deborah Eater (Bucks); Elaine Heitzer, Jack Herklotz and Elizabeth Korczynski (Butler); Dorothy Crissman (Clearfield); Linda Doucette and Paul Grecian (Columbia); Diana Meng (Cumberland); Florence Lauria (Delaware); Lawrence Kownacki (Erie); Robert Kennedy and Mary Reuther (Lackawanna); Daniel Yocom (Lancaster); Daniel Ellison and Sharon Pachler (Montgomery); Nazareth Memory Care (Montour); James Gloria (Northampton); Mary Pierce (Pike); Doug Cober and Ellen Golden (Somerset); Jessica Ellen Boice (Warren); and Ophelia Chambliss (York).
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