
Kutztown Community Partnership is a community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to the economic revitalization and preservation of Kutztown. The Partnership serves as a liaison to build community, to forge positive relationships, and to foster cultural and economic collaboration in this historic college town. Kutztown Community Partnership envisions Kutztown as an inclusive community that welcomes all our best efforts: to get an education, to do business, and to live well at every stage of our lives.
Kutztown Community Partnership & Kutztown University
Awarded the Townie Award for Organizational Excellence
and Community Partnership

Kutztown University and the Kutztown Community Partnership were awarded the Townie Award for Organizational Excellence and Community Partnership by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) for its work toward the Keith Haring Fitness Court at annual statewide gala June 26 in Scranton, Pa. Accepting the award were Dr. Duane Crider, professor of Sport Management, and Jordan Davis, sport management intern who oversaw Keith Haring Day this past spring.
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The Keith Haring Fitness Court was dedicated October 2022, on the corner of Baldy Street and Normal Avenue, on the KU campus. In collaboration with the Keith Haring Foundation, Outdoor Fitness Court and the National Fitness Campaign, the Fitness Court features a 32'x35' outdoor bodyweight circuit training system with 30 pieces of body-weight fitness elements, including seven full-body circuit training stations and a body-weight training wall.
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This past spring, KU sport management students and faculty led the charge to provide the campus and local communities exercise clinics and competitions. Community members attended an open fitness clinic, followed by a competition of local organizations and an art walk celebrating Haring’s work, led by the Kutztown Community partnership. Keith Haring Day marked a celebration surrounding Haring’s birthday, May 4, with the goal to bring awareness to Haring, the Fitness Court and provide the community with exercise leadership.
Kutztown Community Partnership is a community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to the economic revitalization and preservation of Kutztown. The Partnership serves as a liaison to build community, to forge positive relationships and to foster cultural and economic collaboration in the historic college town. Kutztown Community Partnership envisions Kutztown as an inclusive community that welcomes all our best efforts: to get an education, to do business and to live well at every stage of our lives.
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The Keith Haring Fitness Court is an incredible opportunity for the Kutztown community to pay reverence to one of its native sons, as Haring was born and raised in Kutztown, Pa. Despite his worldwide fame, Haring always stayed true to his roots and would often refer to himself as "Keith from Kutztown." Haring went to Kutztown High School and his legacy lives on throughout the borough of Kutztown. To recognize and honor the love he had for his hometown, Haring gifted the ‘Untitled (Figure Balancing on Dog)’ to Kutztown Park in the early 90s, where the sculpture remains today. More of his iconic art can be found on a floor mural in the New Arts Program building nestled right on Main Street, where it is preserved under coats of polyurethane.
The Townie Awards are a festive and venerable tradition designed to recognize the commonwealth’s core communities and individuals for creation and implementation of projects, programs and events that exemplify the goals of PDC’s community revitalization mission. Eligible communities consist of Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s nearly 200 member organizations, including Main Street and Elm Street programs, making the Townies a competitive award process each year.
As of February 2023, Kutztown Community Partnership is the 4th official owner of the Strand Theater. Since 1912, the Strand Theater has stood as a pillar of our community. Kutztown Community Partnership is proud to have been granted $270,013 from the County of Berks to purchase the historic Strand Theatre. KCP would specifically like to thank County Commissioners, Christian Leinbach, Kevin Barnhardt and Michael Rivera for their support for this project. KCP also received $450,000 from The Local Shares Account- Statewide Program through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Financing Authority to reopen this cornerstone of Kutztown. Special thanks to Senator Judith Schwank for her support and dedication to the Kutztown community.
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KCP will be documenting the journey of the Strand as it is prepared and renovated for reopening. Click here to explore our webpage on the Strand Theater. Discover local history you never knew, hear untold stories of the Strand's storied past, and read regularly posted blog updates to be in the know of everything coming to the Strand as KCP embarks upon this new community endeavor.

Kutztown Community Partnership is honored to announce that the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund will be bringing The Wall That Heals to Kutztown in 2023. The Wall That Heals is a 375-foot mobile replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Washington, D.C. As part of The Wall's 2023 Tour, Kutztown has been chosen alongside a group of select cities to host this momentous monument.
The Wall That Heals will provide local veterans and their families the chance to memorialize those who served in Vietnam right from Kutztown. Created with

the intention to instill honor and unity across the United States, we encourage all Kutztown community members to visit The Wall That Heals from September 21st - September 24th, 2023. Click here to discover more about The Wall That Heals and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund!
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