Berks in Focus:
Symphony of a Thousand Images

A Collaboration between the Reading Symphony Orchestra, the Yocum Institute for Arts Education and Westwater Arts

A Community Portrait in Music and Light
Celebrate the life, culture and beauty of Berks County through your eyes!
Join the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Yocum Institute as we celebrate Berks County through your images! On October 10, 2026, we’re creating something truly extraordinary – a stunning new original “visual concerto” celebrating all there is to love about Berks County.
This immersive orchestra experience is open to all Berks youth ages 5-22. The final performance piece will be produced from a pool of well over 1,000 local image submissions and then choreographed onto a massive 440-square-foot screen above the Reading Symphony Orchestra. Your images will accompany a live performance of Joseph Curiale’s evocative piece, "Awakening", a work that beautifully captures the heart and spirit of our beloved county and region.

Photo Credits L > R: Wikimedia Commons by Firoz Ansari, Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers Collection, Nadia Pochan

What does Berks County mean to you?
Words alone can’t express all there is to love about Reading and Berks County, so we’re turning to the community’s collective eye to share your experiences.
We invite you to help tell Berks’ story through photographs that showcase:

Community celebrations, street fairs, and festivals
Your city’s rich history and treasured local landmarks
Favorite hometown places, food, and traditions
School activities, sporting events, and family moments
Music-making, dancing, and the Arts
Murals, cultural expression, and creative life
Personal snapshots, volunteerism, and gatherings
The natural beauty and agricultural heritage of Berks County
Outdoor recreation like biking, running, water sports, and more
Portraits and everyday acts of kindness
Your pets

Your images will help orchestrate a visual symphony that reflects the heart of our community.

How to submit your photos for “Berks in Focus: Symphony of a Thousand Images”
Submit as many photos as you would like—both newly created and those you have already made or inherited. If you have pictures that capture the heart of Reading and Berks County, we want to see our home through your eyes.
You must use the following image file name format: FirstName_LastName_Photo#

Submissions open Sunday, March 1, 2026 - check back for the link to submit.

Image Specifications

JPEG or TIFF file format
Minimum resolution 300 dpi or 3300 x 2200 pixels (higher-res is preferred)
Smartphone, scans, and DSLR photos are all welcome
No watermarks on photos
Color images preferred for present-day material
All photos should be from Reading or the Berks County region
Format for image file names: FirstName_LastName_Photo#

The deadline for submission of images is
Sunday, May 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

About the Collaborators

Westwater Arts

Reading Symphony Orchestra

Yocum Institute for Arts Education

“Berks in Focus: Symphony of a Thousand Images” will be created by Nicholas Bardonnay, the Creative Director & CEO of Westwater Arts. Nicholas is a photographer and multimedia artist. His photography has been exhibited in galleries in London, Los Angeles, Portland and Hong Kong, among others. Since joining Westwater Arts in 2009, Nicholas has worked on more than 120 concerts with orchestras in cities across the U.S. as well as Scotland, England, Singapore, Canada, Poland, and Germany. His latest projects are "Mágico", "National Park Suite" and "Visions", which respectively celebrate Mexico’s vibrant culture, the legacy of the National Park Service, and America’s First Peoples. Nicholas will join us here in Reading as technical and artistic director for “Berks in Focus.”

Since 1913, the Reading Symphony Orchestra has been providing uninterrupted access to exceptional classical music to the citizens of Berks County and beyond. As one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating symphonies, the RSO has performed masterworks from Bach to Beethoven, and many more. Over the years, we’ve welcomed an array of distinguished guest artists, including soprano Renée Fleming; pianists Yuja Wang and Fabio Bidini; violinists Midori and Pinchas Zukerman; and Grammy-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux.

Founded in 1934, The Yocum Institute for Arts Education has served Berks County for more than 90 years with its mission dedicated to enriching the community through arts education. As well as boasting an arts based preschool and kindergarten, the Institute’s expanded offerings include music, dance, theater, visual arts, and even martial arts. With strong partnerships with outreach programs like PrimaryStages and Neighborhood Bridges, the Yocum Institute continues to expand its role in the community and offer a quality arts education to Berks County’s youth and beyond.