The Karl Stirner Arts Trail is preparing for a major expansion that aims to strengthen its connections to both the Easton community and Lafayette College.
Members representing the arts trail announced plans to establish a physical office and event space, and to create an endowment to secure long-term funding at an Easton City Council meeting on Sept. 24.
“We are moving from being a path that connects art to being an institution that sustains it,” trail director and art professor Jim Toia wrote in an email. “The new office and endowment are about making sure that the Easton Arts Trail continues to grow, not just for the next season but for the next generation.”
Preliminary plans for the new office have been organized by Toia, several members of the trail board and former Lafayette College President Daniel Weiss, though the location and timeline have yet to be determined.
The proposed office would serve as both an administrative hub and a flexible event venue for exhibits, workshops and performances, according to the trail’s website.
Toia explained that having a dedicated home base would make it easier to support artists throughout the year rather than just during major events.
“This will help us keep the creative energy going all the time,” he wrote. “It gives us a center of gravity.”
The creation of an endowment, which does not yet have a target amount, would help the trail move away from relying on annual fundraising and ensure its stability. In 2024, according to the trail’s recent financial documents, it reported revenue of $150,763 — a 54% increase from 2023.
Weiss, who previously served as president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was heavily involved with promoting the arts while at Lafayette, has been advising the board on strategy and planning. He wrote in an email that the collaboration reflects civic engagement in the city.
“Easton’s cultural scene is one of its greatest strengths,” Weiss wrote. “Projects like this show how institutions and communities can work together to make the arts accessible and meaningful for everyone.”
Monica Seligmann, the chair of the arts trail board, said that discussions about possible sites for the new space are ongoing, with locations near the trail’s western section — near 13th Street and the Silk Mill — under consideration.
“The idea is to create a visible and welcoming space that encourages participation,” Seligmann said. “It is not just for artists, it is for anyone who wants to be part of Easton’s creative community.”