Middletown Monument Will Feature ‘Virtual Art Show’

The infamous Middletown Monument electronic billboard will be displaying a “virtual art show” featuring the works of students in the Neshaminy School District.

Catalyst Experiential, the company that operates the 45-foot-tall “M” and “T” that sits at the neatly landscaped corner of Lincoln Highway and Oxford Valley Road in Middletown, said the artwork from one school will be featured each month between advertisements. 

February was the first month that student artwork, which was from Joseph Ferderbar Elementary School, was displayed on the electronic billboard. Going forward, artwork will be displayed on the following schedule: Albert Schweitzer Elementary School in March, Maple Point Middle School in April, Herbert Hoover Elementary School in May, Walter Miller Elementary School in June, Neshaminy High School in summer and September, Carl Sandburg Middle School in October, Poquessing Middle School in November, Pearl S. Buck Elementary School in December, and Tawanka Elementary School in January 2019. 

According to Catalyst Experiential, five pieces of artwork from each school will be displayed multiple times a day.

“What a thrill for them and their families to be able to see it on the M. We are very excited for the community to see the innovative ways our students interpret and present their ideas. Our well rounded art curriculum allows for student exploration and artistic growth on an individual level and we are happy to share this with the community,” said Dr. Stacy Potter, a Neshaminy School District art teacher. 

The outdoor advertising company worked with teachers in the Neshaminy School District to set up the project.

“The Neshaminy School District has an outstanding art program, and we know that everyone will enjoy seeing the art throughout the year,” said Thaddeus Bartkowski, the CEO of Catalyst Experiential.

The Middletown Monument opened late last year after several months of construction.

Many residents took to social media to voice their opinions on the electronic billboard, which replaced a long-vacant repair shop.

“It’s not a monument. It’s a billboard, another ugly distraction to an already messy intersection,” one LevittownNow.com reader commented last year.