Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA, October 16, 2025 —ArtsQuest is thrilled to announce the next major milestone in the construction of the Creative Factory powered by PPL: a ceremonial beam signing. The event, which took place on Thursday, October 16 from 3:30 to 5 p.m., celebrated the ongoing transformation of the SouthSide Arts District while highlighting the community, donor and partner support that has brought this project to life.
The Creative Factory, a $32 million, five-story, 78,500-square-foot facility, will expand opportunities for visual and performing arts, education and community programming across the Lehigh Valley. Designed with accessibility and adaptive reuse in mind, the building will include 36 artist studios, a dedicated 155-seat comedy theater, expanded classrooms, modern galleries, larger glass studio with observation space, outdoor programming spaces, a Communications Pathway partnership with the Bethlehem Area School District, Air Products Makerspace and more.
Speakers included: Senator Lisa Boscola; Mayor J. William Reynolds; Gregg Feinberg, Co-Chair of the Re-Imagine! That Capital Campaign; Lissette Santana, President PPL Foundation; and Kassie Hilgert, ArtsQuest President & CEO.
“The beam signing is a symbolic and exciting step forward in our journey,” said Kassie Hilgert, ArtsQuest President and CEO. Each milestone brings us closer to opening doors to a space where creativity and learning come together in ways that will benefit generations to come, across the Lehigh Valley.”
“Signing this beam is a tangible celebration of what our community can achieve when we come together,” commented Gregg and Cindy Feinberg, Co-Chairs, Re-Imagine That! Capital Campaign. “Every milestone reminds us how meaningful it is to invest in spaces that inspire others, representing not only the progress of the Creative Factory but the creativity, energy and vision that make Bethlehem’s SouthSide a vibrant cultural destination.”
The Creative Factory is part of ArtsQuest’s Re-Imagine That! Capital Campaign, which also includes the revitalization of the Lehigh Valley Health Network part of Jefferson Health Turn & Grind Shop, a former Bethlehem Steel building being transformed into a modern, industrial event venue for expanding flagship festivals, hosting educational and scientific exhibits from throughout the country and much needed private event space. Together, these projects underscore ArtsQuest’s commitment to adaptive reuse, cultural development and economic growth, not only within the arts district of SouthSide Bethlehem but throughout the entire Lehigh Valley.
Next up, hard hat tours (TBA) of the construction site, an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and finally, a public opening of the Creative Factory, slated for late 2026 or early 2027.
About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, of which nearly 40 percent are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.