Friends of the Susquehanna River Art Collection

SUSQUEHANNA RIVER INSPIRES EXCITING ART INITIATIVE!

In May 2026 the Friends of the Susquehanna River Art Collection celebrated the one-year anniversary of the founding of our non-profit, created with the mission to build on a collection with gifts and acquisitions to focus on the artistic legacy of the Susquehanna River Valley. 

2025 was a year of remarkable accomplishments. We hired Rob Evans as curator/artist-in-residence to oversee the growth and development of the Collection, and Carol Foley Bolt as administrator, and engaged former art museum director Terrie Sultan as advisor, the Friends have met and surpassed many of the aspirational goals we set forth in May. At the outset, our purpose was to:

• Illuminate the importance of the Susquehanna River Valley to American art history within the context of a national—even global—period of massive historical sociological, economic and political change. 
•  Explore and interpret the narrative of what has been understood about the region and the artists the River inspired. 
• Position the Susquehanna River artists within a larger, embracing context and solidify the River’s historical and cultural identity extending beyond the region.
• Build awareness to drive community engagement at all levels.
• Secured by purchase and donation nearly one million dollars value of significant art.  

In 2025, our agenda is moving forward with passionate supporters. Despite the usual challenges of a “start-up” in terms of securing our financial sustainability and public awareness, we made significant progress, and are well positioned to set our organizational priorities for 2026 with new, audacious goals to expand, curate and manage the collection. 

This is our first year participating with Give Local York and we are looking for support from Friends across York and Lancaster County. If you love the river, love art and history we hope you will join our effort with a gift. Several Founding Friends invested heavily to launch this effort acquiring Rob Evan’s collection and receiving a gift of a collection of early Susquehanna Art donated by Jim Snyder. We are currently growing the collection by adding significant works every month.   https://www.srafriends.org 

Our exhibit is also on loan the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg until the end of June.  Please visit. https://susquehannaartmuseum.org/calendar/american-identity

Artist/Curator Rob Evans and this collection recently generated numerous articles in local and national press. 

It is the most exciting art initiative in PA in a generation.   Join us with a gift and become a Friend of the Susquehanna Art Collection.