The WCR Center for the Arts, formerly the Women's Club of Reading, has been awarded the 2024 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award for Leadership in Public Impact. This accolade, from Preservation Pennsylvania, recognizes the WCR Center for the Arts excellence in using a historic building to enrich the community. WCR board of directors president Jayme Rhoads and board vice president Jane Runyeon accepted the award on behalf of the nonprofit at the Preservation Pennsylvania 2024 Historic Preservation awards ceremony, which took place on Sept. 26 at the Zembo Shrine in Harrisburg. The 2024 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards recognize outstanding contributions to preserving Pennsylvania's heritage.

Located at 140 N. Fifth St. in Reading's historic Callowhill District, the WCR Center for the Arts has transformed its 19th-century building into a community hub. Originally the city's first post office and later the Women's Club of Reading, the WCR now serves as a performance and exhibition venue, fostering artistic exploration and community engagement. The WCR's initiatives include arts education for low-income to moderate-income families and partnerships with local nonprofits. The 265-seat auditorium draws artists and audiences from across the nation.

In 2023, the WCR completed an accessibility project to ensure that the historic site is open to all, regardless of mobility challenges.

For more information about the WCR Center for the Arts, visit http://www.wcrcenter.org, http://www.facebook.com/TheWCRCenterForTheArts, http://www.instagram.com/wcrcenter/, or http://www.linkedin.com/company/wcrcenter/.

To learn more about Preservation Pennsylvania, visit http://www.preservationpa.org.