New Hope, PA. New Hope Celebrates yesterday, today and tomorrow with the opening of a new Pop-Up Exhibit, featuring a look back at New Hope’s rich LGBTA history. It is a community based project which will rely on individual contributions of both content and funds. The new exhibit is also a part of the larger LGBTA History project which is a product of New Hope Celebrates (NHC) and is dedicated to preserving and sharing New Hope, PA’s LGBTA history in order to encourage the community to celebrate the diversity, creativity and openness that makes New Hope, PA special. Other elements of the project are an online archive at Retro-Scope.org and a dedicated kiosk at the recently refurbished New Hope-Solebury public library.
Although the overall project and Retro-Scope.org is still in its infancy, it shows amazing promise. “It’s taken me a while to really grasp the enormity of this project and how engaging it can be, and how amusing and unique the stories are. With the help of the entire community I know we can create something wonderful to share with future generations.” said Gordon Pulaski, Creative Director for NHC.
Dan Brooks and Sara Scully are the master minds behind the Retro-Scope online archive. Founded in 2014, funded by grants and private donations and managed by NHC, Retro-Scope is basically an online repository of information, photos, objects, maps and a virtual timeline. This website will ultimately reveal stories from the past and present. “It’s important to share these amazing stories with the next generation – remember our friends who have passed and celebrate the struggles and the good times from our communities’ past.” Said Daniel Brooks, founder of NHC and Retro-Scope.
The goal of our Pop-Up LGBTA Community History Exhibit is multi-faceted: Share what we have already gathered, engage the community and its visitors, open a conversation to gain interest in folks sharing their stories and personal images from the past and present. Some of our featured collections are Change Makers and Local legends, Remember Me, Artists & Musicians and of course Hangout’s – New Hope’s favorite places – past and present that have shaped our community. We invite everyone to stop by and visit our Exhibit located at 34 South Main St. New Hope, Pa. We will be here until October 30th 2016. This exhibit is for all to share in the spirit of unity and equality.
You can visit us online at retro-scope.org for links to both New Hope Celebrates and the Retro-scope archive. We are making daily additions and updates to the site, so now is a great time to stop in and visit our History Bar or our Retro Lounge to add your untold stories to the collection. We are also accepting photos and memorabilia on loan or as a donation to the project. #untoldstories
Thank you to all of our sponsors, contributors and volunteers who have helped with this project, but especially The Bucks County Playhouse and Inn, the Board of New Hope Celebrates and Gordon Pulaski for creative design.
