Lehigh Valley Health Network is deepening its already extensive identification with ArtsQuest, becoming sponsor of the Turn and Grind Shop — a 27,000-square-foot Bethlehem Steel building being renovated for programs and exhibits.
LVHN, which merged with Jefferson Health in August, has also been designated as the official health care partner of the ArtsQuest SteelStacks campus and sponsor of the Bethlehem Visitor Center, officials said Wednesday at a news conference on ArtsQuest’s “Re-Imagine That!” capital campaign.
The Turn and Grind Shop, a 150-year-old building that once housed key processes in steel-making, will undergo extensive renovations before opening in 2027. It will expand the footprint for ArtsQuest programming such as Musikfest, Christkindlmarkt and Oktoberfest and provide event space for private and corporate needs as well as an additional home for traveling exhibits.
The new sponsorships, along with the already named Levitt Pavilion Presented by LVHN, solidify a partnership between ArtsQuest and the health network spanning 23 years, officials said.
“LVHN has played a pivotal role in ArtsQuest’s mission of providing access to the arts for all, nourishing our community through the arts,” said Kassie Hilgert, ArtsQuest president and CEO. “This partnership represents a lasting commitment to not only ArtsQuest, but also to the communities we serve and the entire region here in Pennsylvania.”
Jefferson Health CEO Dr. Joseph Cacchione said Wednesday’s announcement was particularly meaningful because it’s the first community partnership struck by the merged networks.
“I’m very proud to be a part of this community, and I’m excited for the future of health care in this region and to furthering the artistic and cultural opportunities available,” he said. “We’re establishing a personal connection and creating healthier communities, which is the lifeblood of what Jefferson and LVHN do.”
The heavily trafficked Bethlehem Visitor Center is the oldest building on the former Bethlehem Steel site, predating the blast furnaces. The new Bethlehem Visitor Center will allow programming on the first floor and complement its retail presence and campus tours.
“The combination of two top systems in the U.S., one in health care and the other a robust arts and cultural landscape, will make a transformational impact that will be far reaching,” said Gregg Feinberg, co-chair of the capital campaign.
The expanded partnership “is evidence of our increasing commitment to the Lehigh Valley and of our unwavering support for the efforts that take place in this culturally rich community,” said Rich Levy, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at LVHN. “We aim to continue to support the health-arts connection that benefits not just our patients, but the entire community.”
