ArtsQuest’s Re-Imagine That! Capital Campaign marked a landmark year in 2025, fueled by sustained support from corporate partners, foundations, community donors and regional leaders as two major redevelopment projects moved forward.
Construction is well underway on the new ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL, while plans continue to advance for the renovation of the historic Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health Turn & Grind Shop on Bethlehem’s former steel campus. Together, the projects aim to expand access to arts, culture and creative education across the Lehigh Valley.
In June, ArtsQuest officially broke ground on the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL, a five-story cultural and community hub that will replace the former Banana Factory. The new facility is designed to significantly expand ArtsQuest’s capacity for visual arts, education and creative programming, while offering flexible spaces for makers, performers and emerging artists.
Construction is currently ahead of schedule, with completion targeted for the final quarter of 2026 and a major public opening planned for January 2027. ArtsQuest said a soft opening featuring classes and camps may occur earlier, allowing the community to begin using the space before its formal debut.
Momentum on the Creative Factory was celebrated in October with a beam-signing ceremony at the construction site. The event brought together corporate and individual donors, campaign leaders, community stakeholders and elected officials to mark the project’s progress and shared investment in the region’s cultural future.
A second cornerstone of the Re-Imagine That! campaign is the renovation and repurposing of the Turn & Grind Shop, a 27,000-square-foot, 19th-century industrial building once central to the Bethlehem Steel Tool Division. With support from Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, along with foundations, community donors and county and state officials, the building will be transformed into a multi-use arts and events venue.
The redevelopment received a major boost in April 2025 with a $1 million grant from the Pennsylvania Main Street Matters Grant Program, facilitated by Northampton County. ArtsQuest said the funding represents a key step toward expanding its capacity for festivals, exhibitions, performances and community gatherings.
When completed, the renovated Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health Turn & Grind Shop — expected in 2027 — will include the Air Products Foyer, a large public programming space for traveling exhibits, expanded indoor and outdoor festival areas and flexible event space for private and corporate rentals. Plans also call for a permanent kitchen, backstage and green-room facilities for performers, and upgraded amenities to support large-scale events.
ArtsQuest leaders said the projects will create a more integrated arts campus capable of hosting world-class programming, educational initiatives and major festivals such as Musikfest, Oktoberfest and Christkindlmarkt. The Turn & Grind Shop, in particular, is expected to address a long-standing regional need for versatile indoor and outdoor event space in a distinctive industrial setting.
Beyond arts programming, the redevelopment is projected to support local employment, boost tourism and contribute to Bethlehem’s continued revitalization as a cultural destination.
ArtsQuest credited the campaign’s progress to a broad coalition of supporters, including founding donors, philanthropic partners, corporate sponsors, elected officials and individual contributors. Organization leaders said that continued generosity will help ensure future generations have expanded opportunities to experience, learn from and create through the arts.