THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CULTURAL ALLIANCE, with a membership of over 300 nonprofit arts and culture organizations, advocates for "positive public sector, business and foundation policies and funding priorities at the local, state and federal levels" on behalf of its members. It also conducts the Campaign for Culture, an umbrella marketing campaign for the cultural industry designed to increase awareness and attendance at Greater Philadelphia cultural institutions.
THE ARTS & BUSINESS COUNCIL OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA was founded in 1981 to be a catalyst for collaboration between the business and arts sectors. The goal is to enhance the region's economic and cultural vitality. Among its initiatives was a compensation and benefits study conducted to help cultural institutions attract and retain a competitive cultural workforce.
THE VILLAGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to neighborhood revitalization through the arts. Begun in 1986 as a park-building project in North Philadelphia, the Village has blossomed into a mature arts and cultural organization carrying out a range of community development programs.
THE KIMMEL CENTER, INC., owns and maintains the grand new Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. It also manages the Academy of Music, owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association. The two sites are home to eight resident performing arts organizations, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, American Theater Arts for Youth, PHILADANCO, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Philly Pops. Kimmel Center's mission also includes arts in education and community outreach.
THE MURAL ARTS PROGRAM has created over 2,600 murals and works of public art, earning Philadelphia international recognition as the "City of Murals." MAP's free art education programs serve nearly 3,000 at-risk youth at sites throughout the city, and offers special educational outreach programs in local prisons and rehabilitation centers. MAP is a unique public/private venture of the city's Managing Director's Office and Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates, a nonprofit corporation organized to raise funds and provide other support for the program.
THE BARNES FOUNDATION houses one of the world's leading collections of French impressionist and post-impressionist paintings.
THE BRANDYWINE RIVER MUSEUM CONSERVATORY houses the most comprehensive collections of works by famed area natives N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth..
THE FAIRMOUNT PARK ART ASSOCIATION is the oldest public art organization in the nation. Since 1872, it has commissioned and placed public art in a variety of locations throughout the city.
THE FIRST FRIDAY PROGRAM features 34 art galleries in the Old City district opening their doors and showrooms to the public on the first Fridays of every month.
THE FRANKLIN MINT MUSEUM houses masterpieces by Andrew Wyeth and Norman Rockwell, as well as re-creations of works commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Louvre and the White House.
THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART has built an international reputation for showcasing avant-garde work. It was the first museum to house the works of Andy Warhol, Laurie Anderson, and David Salle.
THE JAMES MICHENER ART MUSEUM is an independent, nonprofit "dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting the art and cultural heritage of the Bucks County region."
THE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM houses a comprehensive collection of European and American art dating back to the Middle Ages.
THE PENNSYLVANIA ACADEMY OF THE FINE ARTS, founded in 1805, was the nation's first museum and school of fine arts. Many of the nation's most important artists were founders, teachers or students there. Today, it houses a premier collection of American art.
THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART is a world-class institution with over 200 galleries filled with treasures spanning continents and cultures, drawn from a permanent collection of more than 400,000 works of art.
THE ROSENBACH MUSEUM AND LIBRARY houses a famous collection of art and rare books assembled two brothers in the 19th century.
THE STEPHEN GIRARD COLLECTION, accumulated between 1970-1830, features furniture, plate, china, and other effects representing successive stages of furnishings and decorations of Girard's town and country houses in Philadelphia.
WHARTON ESHERICK MUSEUM is housed in the eccentric sculptor's home and studio. Esherick carved and forged every detail, from kitchen utensils to staircases. Exhibited are over 200 pieces of Esherick's work produced between 1920 and 1970.
THE ARTS AND SPIRITUALITY CENTER focuses on artistic and spiritual expression as "an avenue for social and personal healing." It holds workshops, programs, and artistic productions around the city in partnership with a various community organizations, addressing a wide range of needs and concerns. Among its initiatives are MasterPeace and the Interfaith Youth Poetry Project and it is launching an innovative Drums for Peace initiative.
THE FRINGE FESTIVAL, known formally as the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe, is held over 16 days in September in a vast variety of venues. The Live Arts Festival presents selected, boundary-breaking performing arts, while Philly Fringe provides opportunities for any artist, independent of a selection process, to self-produce their work.
ANNE-MARIE MULGREW AND DANCERS CO. aims to create new works by Philadelphia born director, Anne-Marie Mulgrew. It also works with community base dancers/performers in special projects.
THEATRE ALLIANCE OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA is a service and leadership organization composed of nonprofit professional theaters, individuals, and other affiliated organizations in the region. It serves as a resource for information, professional development and advocacy.
ART SANCTUARY, located in a historic North Philadelphia church, says it "uses the power of black art to transform individuals, unite groups of people, and enrich and draw inspiration from the inner city. We invite established and aspiring artists to help create excellent lectures, performances and educational programs."
THE ASIAN ARTS INITIATIVE is a community center for artists, writers, actors, musicians and dancers. It holds gallery exhibitions of work "that defines a new Asian American aesthetic." It also holds youth arts workshops and training for Asian artists to become educators.
THE AVENUE OF THE ARTS, INC., is an independent nonprofit created in 1993 to coordinate and oversee cultural and related development along North and South Broad Street. It has worked to develop this segment of Broad Street into "Philadelphia's premier arts and entertainment district." AAI works closely with the state, the city, corporations and foundations. AAI has a unique role as the coordinator, advocate, liaison and catalyst for the Avenue of the Arts District.
BRAT PRODUCTIONS, founded in 1996, says it serves a new, younger generation of theatergoers by "creating theater that breaks the rules; theatre that tests conventions; theatre that rocks." Brat has continued working on both contemporary material and re-envisioned classics, working with new artists, working in non-traditional venues and working to keep ticket prices low. Brat cites two missions: "to raise awareness about social issues, and to give artists a supportive environment in which to create work that responds to social issues." The subject chosen for 2006 was Modern Slavery.
THE CENTER FOR EMERGING VISUAL ARTISTS, formerly Creative Artists Network, was founded in 1984 to "make art careers viable for those who choose them, helping talented emerging artists reach their audiences, and promote interest and understanding of emerging visual art by the general public." Artists selected for the Career Development Program participate in a rigorous public exhibitions schedule, a mentorship program, career counseling and professional development opportunities.
THE CLAY STUDIO is a nonprofit educational arts organization that promotes the ceramic arts and new clay artists through its artist residencies, gallery, studio space, school, educational and outreach programs, and permanent collection. Its resources include "The Claymobile," an outfitted van that brings basic ceramic arts education to disadvantaged populations such as homeless shelters and inner city schools.
ART SPHERE INC. is a nonprofit, largely volunteer organization established to teach inner-city students fundamental art concepts "in order to promote motivation in learning, growth of self-esteem, and self-expression." ASI offers its education programs to culturally underserved Philadelphia youth at K-12 schools, after-school programs, and community centers.
ASTRAL ARTISTIC SERVICES says its mission is "to discover the most promising classical musicians residing in the United States, assist their early professional career development, and present their world-class artistry to the community through concerts and outreach programs."
InLIQUID.COM is a cutting-edge creation for visual artists. InLiquid.com is an internet gallery, physically located in Old City Philadelphia, that provides daily updates
of features and announcements relating to InLiquid artist shows at the various galleries, as well as essays on contemporary art. It calls itself "a hub and primary visual arts
resource for the Philadelphia region."
PHILADELPHIA VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS brings together the legal, arts and cultural communities to share strengths, expertise and "their mutual commitment to protecting artistic and cultural expression for everyone." PVLA has recruited hundreds of attorneys to work on projects such as negotiating performing contracts for actors, dancers and musicians; protecting copyrights and trademarks; preparing by-laws for newly formed nonprofits; negotiating short- and long-term workspace leases and exhibition agreements; securing protection of artwork; and setting up new community-wide arts initiatives.
SPIRAL Q PUPPET THEATER says its goal is to "mobilize communities, empower marginalized groups, and illuminate the victories, frustrations & possibilities of living in the neighborhoods of Philadelphia & similar urban settings through the construction of full-scale giant puppet parades, toy theater, & neighborhood pageantry." In addition to staging neighborhood parades and pageants, it provides "art-making workshops for underserved Philadelphia communities."
R5 PRODUCTIONS is a countercultural, "Do It Yourself" show promotions agency owned and operated by Sean Agnew, an Ardmore dude who started R5 in his bedroom. Agnew says his main goal is "to provide the Philadelphia area with cheap, friendly, all ages shows, in a honest intimate setting." He says Philadelphia suffers from a lack of a medium-sized all-ages venue, creating a situation in which band often play other major East Coast cities but skip over Philadelphia. R5 shows are done in various locations, halls, warehouses, basements, colleges and universities. It's a great example of the "DIY" music culture, that succeeded the underground "rave" culture of the 1990s.
