brian j. benedetti
Brian J. Benedetti has always kept art and Luzerne County at the core of his extensive community service. Educated in Wilkes-Barre area elementary schools, the Coughlin graduate Benedetti has credited his art teachers Andrew Palencar and Marilyn Hoffman as being important influences on his life’s work. As a young person, he was also a student of the renowned local artist Alice Welsh Jenkins.
Before becoming one of the area’s leading ambassadors for the arts, Benedetti was a trained artist himself. He attended Luzerne County Community College, Marywood University, College Misericordia, the University of Scranton, and the San Francisco Institute of Art. His output was featured all over Pennsylvania, from the Everhart Museum in Scranton to the Philadelphia suburbs. Benedetti’s highlight exhibition of watercolor and drawing, Conceptual Images, was put on display by the Hazleton Art League in 1983.
As a teacher at Heights-Murray Elementary School, Benedetti brought his appreciation for high art to the children of Wilkes-Barre by connecting creative expression to the physical world and his students’ interests outside of the classroom. He emphasized the difference between decoration and art, adding a sophistication to his curriculum, and won the respect of his peers. Eventually, he rose to the rank of principal at Heights-Murray Elementary.
In addition, Benedetti was a major player on the campus of Misericordia. He became director of the campus art gallery in 1989 and brought art lectures and exhibits to the Back Mountain community. Original, Benedetti-curated exhibitions like the Supremes’ Mary Wilson gown collection and “Modern Masters,” a modern art movement showcase, would go on to be featured at other galleries and museums following their debut at Misericordia. As a member of the faculty, he taught courses regarding painting, drawing, enameling, art appreciation, art history, and art education.
Benedetti has long been gracious with his time and expertise. He has served as a contributor to many of the area’s arts-based nonprofits, including the Northeastern Pennsylvania Arts Alliance and the Lackawanna County Arts Council. Later on, he worked with Albert Boscov to help get the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts off the ground as a nonprofit.
Most notably, Benedetti has been associated with the Fine Arts Fiesta for nearly his entire professional life. Benedetti was first involved with the Fiesta during the 1975-76 school year, during which he was teaching at Elmer L. Meyers Junior/Senior High School. He submitted his students’ work to the Fiesta for display and, within a few years, he was named to the board of directors. In the early 1990s, Benedetti was named the Fine Arts Fiesta’s executive director.
With a deep understanding of and respect for the Fiesta’s original principles, Benedetti has spent decades diversifying the Fiesta’s offerings, all while remaining true to founder Annette Evans’ vision. Benedetti was instrumental in developing and expanding a number of the Fiesta’s essential programming initiatives, including the juried exhibitions, commercial opportunities for vendors, and more robust music and entertainment schedules. Among the artists he brought to the Fine Arts Fiesta were Alison Krauss, the Platters, and Tuck & Patti.
Though many Wilkes-Barre city officials have come and gone over the decades, Benedetti’s steady leadership has helped the Fine Arts Fiesta not just survive, but thrive. The Fiesta has lasted through a dramatic decrease in downtown foot traffic, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Luzerne County’s unpredictable weather. Despite these challenges, Benedetti has continued to find and manage a huge team of volunteers year after year.
Since formally retiring from teaching, Benedetti has remained involved in the arts community through his continued leadership of the Fine Arts Fiesta, and the occasional dip into recreational photography. Brian J. Benedetti’s sturdy, passionate guidance — and the example he has set for future generations — suggest that the arts will remain a powerful force in Luzerne County for people of all ages.