As part of the ongoing collaboration between Starbucks Coffee Company and the Chester County Art Association, local artists had a chance to enter their work for display consideration at a local Starbucks.  The first jurying session, which took place in February, resulted in dozens of applicants but only a few were selected to display their work in the new Starbucks store at High and Gay Street in West Chester. 

While all the art work is for sale,  the participanting artists see the collaboration as a great marketing strategy  and an unusual way of getting their work seen by a constant influx of people. In fact, the West Chester  Starbucks is the first in the region to be totally adorned with original work by artists from the surrounding community.  The featured artists for the current exhibit include painters  Michelle Dirks, Susan Curtin, Gray Holton, Iwona Piatkowski and Judith McCabe Jarvis; to name just a few. 

 Pictured at right is the $2,000 check-giving ceremony held at the "Friends & Family" opening of  the West Chester Starbucks on February 14th.  Starbucks presented the check to CCAA as part of its  "Make Your Mark" campaign, a grant program based on how many volunteer hours Starbucks employees and associates give to a community project. The Starbucks project with CCAA included help with the art center's first annual Phantom Ball. 

Want to get involved in the next Starbucks exhibit? Read the call for entries