Erie Center for Arts & Technology

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Erie Center for Arts & Technology The Erie Center for Arts & Technology is a community-based educational facility located on Erie's Eastside.

ECAT offers no cost arts & career training programs that inspire, educate, and empower people of all ages.

On Wednesday evening, ECAT Executive Director Dr. Matthew Platz attended the Erie Community Foundation’s Emerging Erie F...
10/22/2026

On Wednesday evening, ECAT Executive Director Dr. Matthew Platz attended the Erie Community Foundation’s Emerging Erie Fund event at the Bayfront Maritime Center (BMC), celebrating the power of community partnerships and investment in Erie’s future.

ECAT is excited to be partnering with the Bayfront Maritime Center on an ambitious project that will provide our Construction Trades students with hands-on experience helping complete the historic USS Porcupine!

This unique collaboration will give students the opportunity to apply their skills in carpentry, woodworking, construction, and craftsmanship to a real-world project while helping preserve an important piece of Erie’s maritime heritage.

Once completed, the USS Porcupine will serve as a floating classroom and community educational resource, connecting future generations to Erie’s rich maritime history.

This is what workforce development should look like: students gaining valuable career skills while building something that will benefit their community for generations.

Thank you to the The Erie Community Foundation Emerging Erie Fund and the Bayfront Maritime Center for recognizing the value of collaboration, education, and creating meaningful opportunities for Erie residents.

⚓ Building skills. Building partnerships. Building Erie’s future.

10/20/2026

If you missed it, you can listen to Executive Director, Dr. Matthew Platz's, interview on TalkErie with Joel Natalie here.

10/16/2026

Our Construction Trades students and staff are putting their skills to work at the Erie Zoo, helping prepare for one of Erie's favorite Halloween traditions — ZooBoo!

This is what hands-on education is all about! Our students have the opportunity to apply what they're learning in the classroom to real-world projects while giving back to the community.

We're proud to partner with the Erie Zoo and excited to see our students' hard work contribute to an experience enjoyed by families throughout our region.

đź‘Ź A big thank-you to the Erie Zoo for welcoming our students and to JET 24 for highlighting this collaboration!

đź“ş Check out the story and see our students in action!

https://www.yourerie.com/on-our-air/clocking-in/clocking-in-laying-the-groundwork-at-the-erie-zoo/

Our friends at the BLUE COATS are hosting an evening of "Neighbors Being Neighbors" at ECAT Wayne this coming Thursday (...
10/16/2026

Our friends at the BLUE COATS are hosting an evening of "Neighbors Being Neighbors" at ECAT Wayne this coming Thursday (Oct. 22). Please consider attending this inclusive event.

We were happy to welcome Senator Dan Laughlin to the Erie Center for Arts & Technology on Tuesday morning. Thank you for...
10/15/2026

We were happy to welcome Senator Dan Laughlin to the Erie Center for Arts & Technology on Tuesday morning. Thank you for visiting and learning about our work.

Navigating Workplace Bias: Real Talk for the Job Site In a national survey of the building industry, 72% of Black respon...
10/15/2026

Navigating Workplace Bias: Real Talk for the Job Site

In a national survey of the building industry, 72% of Black respondents and 66% of women said they've experienced discrimination at work.

This week, our Construction Trades students welcomed Mr. Brandon K. Wiley, MS, LPC, from OpenedEyes, who led a powerful, honest discussion about diversity in the workplace and what employers expect from new workers. Mr. Wiley didn't shy away from the tough stuff. He talked openly about the reality that not every job site will feel welcoming, and he gave our students practical advice for handling those moments: staying professional, knowing their worth, finding mentors and allies, and letting their work ethic and skills speak for them. Our students jumped right in, sharing their own perspectives, asking great questions, and walking away with real tools they can carry into their careers.

That's why conversations like this matter. At ECAT, we're preparing our students for the whole job, not just the technical side. We want every student to feel safe and heard, both in our classrooms and in the careers they're building, and to walk onto any job site ready to handle whatever comes their way.

Thank you, Mr. Wiley and OpenedEyes, for investing in our students! đź’Ş

Source: National Institute of Building Sciences

Thinking of our Eastside neighbors, the families affected, and everyone in our community carrying this loss. Mental heal...
10/11/2026

Thinking of our Eastside neighbors, the families affected, and everyone in our community carrying this loss.

Mental health and crisis resources are available for anyone who may need support.

ONE BUILDING. REAL SKILLS. A FOUNDATION FOR YOUR FUTURE.Are you a new contractor looking to break into the trades, or an...
10/06/2026

ONE BUILDING. REAL SKILLS. A FOUNDATION FOR YOUR FUTURE.

Are you a new contractor looking to break into the trades, or an experienced contractor ready to grow? The Neighborhood Restoration Program gives you hands-on experience restoring the exterior of a neighborhood building, working side by side with seasoned contractors from start to finish.

On this project, you'll learn tangible, transferable skills in:
- Roofing
- Siding installation
- Window replacement
- Door replacement
- Concrete
- Site restoration, including fencing, sidewalk repair, and more

Everything you learn on this one building, you can take to every job after it.

Earn industry-recognized certifications including OSHA 10, Ladder Safety, and more, credentials that set you apart and open doors to bigger opportunities.

Expand your existing skill set by adding new trades to what you already know, gaining real job site experience, and learning directly from established pros in the industry.

Program Schedule:
6 weeks | Monday through Wednesday | 8 AM – 2 PM
Built to fit around your existing work, with Thursdays and Fridays free for your own jobs.

Spots are limited, so apply today!

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=EtGIc7FDS0WS9qsdoz0wUzL5FGE8M3tEkeTuPWl1jdlUOVFHR1NXMTFWUzdZMjdENTVIMzdBSzYxQi4u&route=shorturl

This project was financed, in whole or in part, by a Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund grant from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, under the administration of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with funds sub-granted to Erie County, Pennsylvania.

Read all about it - the ECAT Newsletter is back! In our September edition, hear from students in our Arts and CMA progra...
10/01/2026

Read all about it - the ECAT Newsletter is back! In our September edition, hear from students in our Arts and CMA programs, an exciting new partnership, and a tremendous recognition for our ECAT team.

đź“°: https://conta.cc/3VeDBEx

"It is an incredible privilege to begin my tenure as Executive Director of the Erie Center for Arts & Technology. In jus...
10/01/2026

"It is an incredible privilege to begin my tenure as Executive Director of the Erie Center for Arts & Technology. In just my first few weeks at ECAT, I have been reminded again and again of what makes this organization special: talented students, dedicated staff and teaching artists, committed partners, and a belief that education and opportunity can change lives.

I come to ECAT after serving as Executive Director of the Corry Higher Education Council, where much of my work focused on expanding access to education, workforce development, and economic opportunity. That experience reinforced something I believe deeply: the most successful organizations don't simply offer programs—they build pathways. They connect people to education, employers, resources, and one another.
That is the opportunity I see at ECAT.

As we look toward the future, I want ECAT to become even more visible and connected throughout the Erie community. That means strengthening relationships with our students and families, reconnecting with alumni, creating new partnerships, supporting our teaching artists and instructors, engaging employers, and making sure our donors and supporters can see the impact their investment makes possible.

I also believe ECAT can play an important role in the continued revitalization of Erie's east side. Our building should be more than the place where our programs happen. It should be a hub where education, creativity, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and community come together and where people can see possibilities for themselves and their neighborhood.

There is tremendous work already happening here, and my first priority is to listen and learn from the people who have built it. At the same time, I'm excited to bring new ideas, new partnerships, and new energy to the work ahead.

Most importantly, I want ECAT to remain a place where people walk through our doors and discover opportunity.

I'm grateful for the warm welcome I've received and excited to get to work alongside all of you. I look forward to sharing our progress and our stories in the months ahead."

Dr. Matthew Platz - Executive Director

Address

650 East Avenue
Erie, PA
16503

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+18146510901

Website

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