Sept 2013 Board Meeting Press Highlights

September 2013 Press Highlights 4/24/2013 – 8/26/2013 McLoone, Sharon, “Alexandria’s Tourism Body Names New Chief Operating Officer” Old Town Alexandria Patch, 8/26/2013 Cooney, Joe, “Local business honored; grants, loans available” Courier Post, 8/24/2013 Editor, “2013 Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll” Scoop U.S.A, 8/16/2013 Editor, “Senior Center Briefs” Kennett Paper, 8/15/2013 Editor, “PNC pledges $1 million to extend Arts Alive program” Philadelphia Sunday Sun, 8/11/2013 Maye, Fran, “The Flash set to re-open for “Act II” Southern Chester County Weeklies, 8/9/2013 Rao, Sameer, “Budget cuts jeopardize Young Playwrights program in schools” The Philadelphia Public School Notebook, 8/7/2013 Salisbury, Stephan, “PNC extends Arts Alive grants for a year” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/6/2013 Editor, “Delaware’s premier non-profit professional theater” Chester County Press, 7/31/2013 Lovejoy, Philip W. “Next mayor should bet big on the arts” The Boston Globe, 7/29/2013 McInerney, John, “The Real Story Behind the Arts Agencies Salary Survey 2013” Artsblog, 7/29/2013 Moss, Ian David, “Around the horn: General Sisi edition” Createquity, 7/4/2013 Greenberg, Alyssa, “News post – Major Pew grants, bon voyage Tom Kaiden, Philly artists in the Bronx, opportunities and more!”

The Art Blog, 6/21/2013 Salisbury, Stephan, “Kaiden quits as head of Philadelphia Cultural Alliance” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 6/20/2013 Crimmins, Peter, “Philly Cultural Alliance leader Tom Kaiden stepping down” Newsworks, 6/19/2013 Van Allen, Peter “President of Cultural Alliance to step down” Philadelphia Business Journal, 6/19/2013 Editor, “Tom Kaiden Stepping Down at Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance” Grantmakers in the Arts, 6/19/2013

Editor, “Cultural Alliance President Tom Kaiden to Step Down Next Month” Broadway World, 6/19/2013 James, Yasmein, “Councilmen Jones and Goode honored for support of arts education” Newsworks, 6/13/2013 Editor, “Political updates: State & Local” Weekly Press and University City Review, 6/12/2013 Editor, “Delco Arts Consortium breaks for the summer” County Press, 6/12/2013 Sharpe, Andy, “Checking in on GroundSwell: A Shift to Public Education Advocacy as ‘Doomsday’ Cuts Loom” Generocity, 6/10/2013 Contosa, Nicole, “City Council floats funding alternatives for Philly Public Schools as Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell receives visit from Powel Students University City Review, 6/5/2013 Olaechea, Karim, “Saving Arts Education for the Future of Philadelphia” University City Review, 6/5/2013 Editor, Councilpersons Good and Jones to Receive Hero Capes for Support of Education and Arts in Schools, 6/6 Broadway World, 6/5/2013 Glover, Sarah, “Students Urge Council to Solve Philly’s Education Crises” NBC10, 5/30/2013 Editor, “Films by students get media premier” Delaware County News Network, 5/28/2013 Abdur-Rahman, Sulaiman, “Students sing out for school funding” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/17/2013 Editor, “Support Additional Funding For Arts Programs With Groundswell, Ya Know … For Kids” Philebrity, 5/15/2013 Van Allen, Peter, “Rising tide: Barnes increase may signal a sea change” Philadelphia Business Journal, 5/9/2013 Editor, “Senior artists exhibit their work this month” Northeast Times, 5/8/2013 Bush, Ian, “$1-Million In Grants Go To Help The Arts In Philadelphia” CBS Philly, 5/2/2013 Siegal, Marcia, “Month-long arts celebration marks 50th Older Americans Month” Milestones, 5/1/2013 Freedman, Brian, “Philabeverage: Pair Pressure” Philadelphia Weekly, 4/24/2013

http://oldtownalexandria.patch.com/groups/business-news/p/alexandrias-tourism-body-names-new-chiefoperating-officer

Alexandria's Tourism Body Names New Chief Operating Officer Sharon McLoone August 26, 2013

Alexandria’s top tourism promoters have a new chief operating officer – Tom Kaiden, who hails from Philadelphia like Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association President and CEO Patricia Washington.

Kaiden was president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, an advocacy and marketing organization for arts and culture.

He joined the Cultural Alliance in 2001 as its COO and became president in 2010.

Prior to that, he was the executive director of the Convention & Visitors Bureau in Stowe, Vt. He began his marketing career with the Travel Related Services Division of American Express.

Washington came to Alexandria last year after a 12-year position with the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

The ACVA senior leadership team is now comprised of Washington, Kaiden, Senior Vice President of Sales Lorraine Lloyd and Director of Communications Claire Mouledoux.

Alexandria sees 3 million visitors annually, who generate $711 million in spending and $23.1 million in city tax revenue, according to an ACVA news release. Alexandria’s 22 percent increase in tourism spending over the past five years dramatically outpaced increases for Virginia and Northern Virginia, both at 9 percent.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20130825/BUSINESS02/308250031/Local-business-honoredgrants-loans-available

Local business honored; grants, loans available Joe Cooney Aug. 24, 2013

[…]

Camden County visual and performing arts organizations are invited to apply for grants available through PNC Financial Services Group’s “Arts Alive” program.

PNC will provide $1 million in funding for arts programs that run from June 1, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2015.

Details on how to apply and programs supported by the grants are available at www.pncartsalive.com. Arts organizations can begin to apply for grants Sept. 9.

“PNC Arts Alive is a smart investment in the health and economic vitality of the regions,” said Michael Norris, interim executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

“These grants support artists and organizations that are hard at work revitalizing our communities, educating our youth and improving the quality of life for the residents of our region.” […]

http://www.southernchestercountyweeklies.com/article/20130809/NEWS01/130809972/the-flash-set-to-re-open-foract-ii-#full_story

The Flash set to re-open for “Act II” Fran Maye August 9, 2013

Expect to see many changes when the Flash reopens next month in what it is calling “Act II.” The Flash, which opened in 2009 under the direction of Historic Kennett Square, is now its own non-profit with a new board of directors. And Lee Zagorski, a founding member of The Flash, will be returning as program director.

“The Flash will be getting a warmer feel,” Zagorski said. “The long tables will go and we’re putting in four-seaters for a café look.”

The Flash will reopen Sept. 6 with shows that will appeal to a wider audience.

Improvements include fresh paint, expanded food menu, and a boost to an already impressive audio and visual system.

“The acoustics are amazing,” said Matt Grieco, who along with Dennis Melton is overseeing the transition to “Act II.” After operating at a loss of 41 percent, Melton and Grieco raised significant funds over the past three months to make the re-launch possible. Melton said the Flash will have a $200,000 annual budget with plans to operate at no more than a 10 percent loss.

“The Flash will be treated like a business even though it’s a non-profit,” Melton said.

“We think that a 10 percent loss and even up to 20 percent is very sustainable for an arts and culture component. We looked at other places like the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, a non-profit that has a typical loss of 30 percent a year. They make up for the loss in donations.”

The Flash management is looking into other ways to raise money, including renting the space out to businesses. The Flash can accommodate uip to 100 people.

The Flash, Melton said, is an important component to Kennett Square’s resurgence as a destination town. “(The Flash) has brought people into town who wouldn’t have come into town otherwise,” he said. “People who come to the concerts come from a great distance.”

Indeed, 29 percent of Flash visitors come from outside the region, according to a study conducted by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. And the average amount spent by visitors outside Kennett Square is $45 per person, while it’s $24 per person for those who live nearby.

When he opened The Flash, Zagorski was a master in bringing in quality artists who had a fan base that helped to fill the venue. While some of the big name performers will be reduced, the local and regional artists will help to keep ticket prices low and attendance high. Ticket prices will average from $10 to $15.

“You’re going to get the same atmosphere you get in downtown Philadelphia or New York City, and it’s right here in Kennett Square,” Zagorski said. “Why go to Philadelphia, and pay $20 to park when it’s right here in Kennett Square. It’s big city performance with little ticket price.”

Movie Night will continue, and there will be an after-school arts and culture program for the youth. The last Sunday of every month will feature children’s shows. And seniors, who were largely ignored previously, will be getting special attention. Better Than Bacon, the house improve troop featuring Bob Curran, will be back on alternate Thursdays and Open Mic Night. […]

http://thenotebook.org/blog/136271/budget-cuts-jeopardize-young-playwrights-programs-schools

Budget cuts jeopardize Young Playwrights programs in schools Sameer Rao August 7, 2013

Philadelphia Young Playwrights is widely championed by education advocates, teachers, principals, and school administrators alike for providing high-quality arts literacy options to many area schools without formal theatre programs. But District austerity measures have thrown the future of its Philadelphia programs into limbo.

With the School District facing a $304 million shortfall, individual school budgets have withered, decimating District funding for arts and music education. As the rescue package for Philadelphia schools continues to remain unresolved, principals don't know if they will be able to maintain these partner programs when schools open in the fall.

“The situation we face is principals’ lack of capacity, given the slashing of their discretionary budgets, to find money that might have been previously available in their budgets to fund a program like Young Playwrights,” says Glen Knapp, Young Playwrights’ executive producing director.

The organization’s core program, which partners K-12 teachers with local theatre professionals to lead over 5,000 students in playwriting workshops, is provided in partnership with nearly 30 individual schools throughout the District and surrounding counties.

As part of that model, which has allowed Young Playwrights to sustain relationships with schools through previous District financial crises, the program is typically paid in part with money coming from principals’ discretionary funds. The majority of those funds have since been eliminated from principals’ balance sheets after the School Reform Commission approved a bare-bones "doomsday" budget in May. There are nearly 2,800 cultural organization programs in schools throughout Philadelphia and its surrounding areas, according to a 2011 report from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the anchor organization for the city's arts and culture sector. School groups made over 34,000 visits to theaters, museums, historical sites, and other cultural spots.

Although Young Playwrights’ large presence in District schools makes its programming uniquely vulnerable to the District's budget, arts organizations who don’t receive District funding are still hindered by diminished municipal resources.

According Anne Holmes, director of Wilma Theater’s acclaimed education programs, rigorous guidelines for outside vendors can complicate program sustainability.

“It’s brutal for a small nonprofit company like ours to go through the process of becoming a [District] vendor. We just don’t have the staff for it,” Their Wilmagination theatre residencies, which allow nearly 250 students from the School District to meet learning objectives through theatre education in conjunction with an ongoing Wilma production, are privately funded in part to avoid these rigors as well as the financial crises.

Young Playwrights is similarly turning to outside funding sources to fill these gaps. But even with those sources, said Holmes, “we are limited in what we can offer and how many classes we can work with.”

Young Playwrights and the Wilma, who worked together with 1812 Productions and a group of students from South Philadelphia High School to produce We Write South Philly High! in 2011, are also affected by District staff upheaval.

Two schools with Young Playwrights programming this past year – Walter G. Smith Elementary and Communications Technology High -- were among 24 schools closed this year. Teachers from those schools are uncertain as to where they’ll end up or if they can bring Young Playwrights programming to their new schools.

The Wilma faced similar issues with English teachers who were among the more than 676 teachers and 3,800 District workers laid off earlier this year.

“When you’re losing teachers and you never know who you’re going to have the next year, it’s really difficult to build continuity in a program,” Holmes said.

That continuity is crucial to sustaining and measuring outcomes, and is threatened by the loss or reduced capacity of principals and teachers at each school. Young Playwrights and principals at partner schools will not know exactly what this capacity looks like until later this month, when school budgets are finalized.

For some, this bleak picture might seem confusing when held up against these organizations’ numerous public successes. Young Playwrights’ most famous alum, Quiara Alegría Hudes, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for drama last year. Their Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts production, “The Lost Hour,” earned rave reviews and admiration for the multi-generational and even-handed collaboration between theatre professionals, university actors, and high school student playwright/actors.

The Wilma continues to stage cutting-edge works to wide acclaim. But as difficult as those two narratives are to reconcile, one cannot exist without the other.

“All of the riches from [these successes] stem from the opportunities that every student gets in the classroom program," said Knapp. "Those public opportunities only stem from as many students in the region as possible being able to stage their plays in classrooms.”

Even through these times of crisis, Knapp expresses immense gratitude for District leadership and principals who have supported Young Playwrights. Among them is School Reform Commission Chairman Pedro Ramos, who spoke at the organization’s 25th anniversary celebration in June and attested to its importance as “a pedagogical strategy”.

Meanwhile, Young Playwrights teachers continue to advocate for the program’s transformative power. Joshua Block, a humanities teacher at Science Leadership Academy who has worked with Young Playwrights for almost five years, wrote in a guest post on Edutopia that collaborations between students and experts often lead to profound experiences for students and teachers alike.

“These programs are, in no way, extras or fluff," said Block. "Experiences with the arts allow students to explore their identities and their worlds in deep, meaningful, and insightful ways as they develop advanced academic skills.”

Still, without a strong core program in place, the possibility for young artists to have exposure and transformative experiences on a larger stage may disappear.

http://articles.philly.com/2013-08-06/news/41096921_1_arts-alive-greater-philadelphia-cultural-alliance-pnc-regionalpresident

PNC extends Arts Alive grants for a year Stephan Salisbury, August 6, 2013

PNC has extended its successful Arts Alive grant-making program, designed to help cultural organizations expand and diversify their audiences, for another year by allocating an additional $1 million.

PNC initially planned to spent $1 million a year for five years ending in 2013, but officials at the financial-services company said the program's success warranted at least another year.

"Over the past five years, we have seen Arts Alive enable more access to programs, create jobs, and generate additional revenue for arts organizations," Bill Mills, PNC regional president, said in a statement.

Mills said the program had spurred significant growth, "which is precisely the impact we sought when the program launched, and now it can expand even further."

The money is distributed through the PNC Foundation, the company's charitable arm.

Over the five years of the program, Arts Alive has supported more than 120 arts programs and 55 organizations throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey.

In an analysis of 21 grants distributed during the program's second year, PNC found that 95 percent of the projects reported an increase in their total audience, attracting an estimated 131,000 new members, officials said.

All the projects reported success in attracting new audience members targeted by their grants, and 90 percent identified some level of funding to help sustain their efforts by the end of the grant period.

Michael Norris, interim executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, said the grants had supported arts activities aimed at "revitalizing our communities, educating our youth, and improving the quality of life for the residents of our region."

This year, for instance, grants helped the Philadelphia Museum of Art fill its Perelman Building with summer-long family-oriented exhibitions and activities, collectively called Art Splash; allowed the Mann Center for the Performing Arts to mount an evening of the

Philadelphia Orchestra with giant LED screens flashing sports imagery; and enabled the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center in Millville, N.J., a center for craft exhibitions, demonstrations, and artist residencies, to offer free admission six days a week throughout July.

In all, 21 organizations received Arts Alive grants in 2013.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/07/28/boston-should-bet-big-arts-just-doesinnovation/dDXIv47UaPGospCNU7O5jM/story.html

Next mayor should bet big on the arts Philip W. Lovejoy July 29, 2013

NOW IS THE time for Boston to invest more fully in its artistic community and ensure that the arts become the economic driver that this city deserves.

The Boston area is well known for its world-class colleges and universities. These educational institutions produce an amazing diversity of artists, performers, and arts administrators. But once they graduate they begin to leave, abandoning the place that has helped to form them for cities that can fully support them professionally: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco. While Boston provides the foundation on which these careers are built, it does little to nurture them, allowing other cities to benefit from these extraordinarily talented individuals.

Boston has done a remarkable job in retaining young professionals in the areas of finance and technology by creating an Innovation District and other incentives to stay here, but for far too long it has been deficient in retaining cultural professionals. Boston needs to support these individuals at the same level found in other major US cities, and in the same manner in which it invests in housing, education, and health care.

Boston has come to a pivotal moment. For the first time in 20 years the citizens of this city will elect a new mayor. The current administration has been a great friend of the arts. Efforts to rejuvenate the theater district and support the creation of the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts in the South End and the Institute of Contemporary Arts on Boston’s waterfront have been enormously helpful in the cultural development of the city. But as many others have noted, Boston deserves more than just a friend: What it needs is a champion, an individual who will make connecting artists to the city and retaining cultural talent a high priority.

The mayor was recently quoted as having said that the cultural community of Boston is “reaching its peak.” I certainly hope that this is not the case. Boston can do so much more for its cultural community. The same innovation districts and incentives available to the finance and technology sectors must also be supported in the cultural sector.

Luckily for Boston, the infrastructure is already in place in the form of many nonprofit cultural organizations. With greater support, the cultural community of Boston will reciprocate by driving economic and social growth in Boston’s neighborhoods.

Boston cultural institutions need more than a friend: They need a champion.

These organizations have been in the city for decades, providing services for studio artists, theater, and dance companies. These organizations are trying unendingly to reduce costs for artists and organizations so that they will remain here. But unlike cities like Los Angeles and New York, where funding for arts and cultural institutions is woven into the fabric of municipal budgets, Boston does not provide nearly the level of support needed to grow the cultural sector in any significant way. We will continue to see rapid emigration of the city’s talent unless something more is done; the city must provide the resources necessary to sustain and increase Boston’s cultural cachet.

Other cities that have recognized the value of the arts have benefited greatly. In 2012, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance reported that the arts and cultural sector had a $3.3 billion impact on the region, due in large part to a conscious investment in arts and artists in the community.

Boston needs to be similarly invested in its cultural vibrancy. Boston’s cultural innovation districts need to be lively, animated arts campuses where working artists and audiences are connected through a variety of programs, residencies, educational experiences, and performances. To do this, the city must help to subsidize rents, provide professional development services for artists, and increase public awareness of their work. By providing this level of support, the city will undoubtedly see increases in cultural tourism and community engagement. These organizations can also propel the development and renewal of neighborhoods, further driving economic growth and providing outlets for creativity to underserved populations.

Supporting artists must be a high priority for the city’s next mayor and for its citizens.

The present administration has served for 20 years, so what we do with our vote has the potential to touch generations of Bostonians. The economic and social impact will reverberate through every aspect of urban life. Make supporting the arts, arts professionals, and cultural institutions a major issue this November. Without it, we stand to lose so much more than just beautiful art. With it, what we gain will be invaluable.

Philip W. Lovejoy is chairman of the board of the Boston Center for the Arts.

http://blog.artsusa.org/2013/07/29/the-real-story-behind-the-arts-agenices-salary-survey-2013/

The Real Story Behind the Arts Agencies Salary Survey 2013 John McInerney July 29, 2013

Americans for the Arts (AFTA), recently released Local Arts Agencies Salaries, 2013, a survey of 700 national service organizations that serve the cultural sector. While salaries in the nonprofit sector are usually below those in the for profit sector, salaries for leadership arts service positions seem reasonable given the overall environment and the salaries in the entertainment industry as a whole. The average salary for all executive directors in the AFTA survey is $78,394. For comparison, the mean salary for “Top Executive, Civic and Social Organization” by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is $95,810. Service organization salaries also seem reasonable compared to Performing Arts Executive Directors, $96,85-(BLS), and Top Executive Director, Museum, Historical Site and Similar Institution, $106,000 (BLS)–particularly when you take into account that the BLS figures include both forprofit and nonprofit positions.

The Salary Survey is a comprehensive and insightful survey but, unfortunately, the real news here is not about salaries of local arts agencies executives. The real story lies in the stark lack of diversity amongst leaders of arts service organizations and the sector as a whole. Eighty six percent of respondents identified as white (90% of Executive Directors) and 75% were women. Perhaps even more troubling, only 2% of respondents identified as Black/African American. The Voice of NonProfit Talent has documented that this lack of diversity carries through the full nonprofit sector, with overall nonprofit employment being approximately 82 percent white, 10 percent African-American, and five percent Hispanic/Latino. While I can’t source a definitive survey of just cultural nonprofits, I think it is reasonable to assume that results for culture would be similar, in particular when one looks at the demographic make up of the majority of cultural audiences and the demographics of the many cultural sector conferences for arts professionals annually.

If you have not looked around your community in the last decade, this lack of diversity is not reflected by the country population as a whole. The 2010 US Census documented that half of all population growth from 2000 to 2010 was Hispanic and that 30% of the country’s population is now people of color. That number is expected to be 50% by 2042. And this is not even breaking news. In Philadelphia, we calculated five years ago that our regional population growth through 2020 would come ONLY from communities

of color, with the white population growth remaining completely flat (Research Into Action).

These troubling statistics should add to the growing chorus of conversations about diversity in the arts sector. However, it is going to take more than catchy conference themes to make the arts more relevant. Just as the Ford foundation was instrumental in launching the modern nonprofit cultural sector in the 1960’s by funding and supporting an expanding array of cultural nonprofits, it is time for dramatic action from arts leaders, arts funders, and civic leaders.

Even more important, we need to recognize that, while questions about making artistic product relevant to broader audiences is a core diversity issue, the real problem may not even be about racial diversity at all. Study after study has shown that the highest predictors of cultural participation are education and socioeconomic status. This is not the arts problem alone. We need to recognize that if we want to change the diversity of our audiences (and our staff), we need to make access to education and employment opportunities universal. To this end, we need to recognize that if we care about the arts and care about making sure that they are enjoyed by all, we need to work not just for arts funding and arts issues, but to work with other leaders to resolve the serious issues with our education system in this country and ensure that marginalized communities have access to the resources and assistance they need to better their lives. Then, hopefully, the 2023 and 2033 surveys will tell a different story.

http://createquity.com/2013/07/around-the-horn-general-sisi-edition.html

Around the horn: General Sisi edition Ian David Moss July 4, 2013

Happy 4th of July! I’m going to be on vacation for the next couple of weeks, but Createquity is not. You’ll continue to see new posts and comments will be approved, albeit at a slower rate than usual. Don’t let the world blow up while I’m gone!

ART AND THE GOVERNMENT • •

Future of Music Coalition has a comprehensive rundown and positive comment on the Obama administration’s new 2013 Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement.

Ouch: the Minnesota Orchestra will have to return nearly $1 million in state grants because of its never-ending labor dispute.

MUSICAL CHAIRS •

•

[…]

Some big changes are coming to Philly this year! Just a week after we found out about Tom Kaiden’s departure from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Gary Steuer has announced that he is leaving his post as the City of Brotherly Love’s first Chief Cultural Officer to take a position as President of Denver’s Bonfils Stanton Foundation. Here’s Gary in his own words talking about the shift.

Margaret Ayers is retiring as president of the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation after 38 years (!) of service. Clark supports cultural exchange and cultural diplomacy. As part of the transition, Roslyn Black will direct the foundation’s International Arts Engagement program.

http://www.theartblog.org/2013/06/news-post-major-pew-grants-bon-voyage-tom-kaiden-philly-artists-inthe-bronx-opportunities-and-more

News post – Major Pew grants, bon voyage Tom Kaiden, Philly artists in the Bronx, opportunities and more!

By Alyssa Greenberg June 21, 2013

The work of Yinka Shonibare, whose exhibition by the Barnes Foundation is made possible by this year’s Pew awards. Yinka Shonibare,Space Walk, 2002. In collaboration with The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM), Philadelphia. […]

A big goodbye for the Philly arts community: Tom Kaiden is stepping down as President of the Cultural Alliance, effective July 26. He’ll be joining the Alexandria (Virginia) Convention and Visitors Association as their Chief Operating Officer.

Looking back on his tenure at the Cultural Alliance, we’ve got lots to look back on fondly – the launch of Phillyfunguide, Funsavers and Audience Analytics, the publications of the Portfolio, Prosperity and Research Into Action reports, the defeat of the arts tax, protection of the percent for art program and the reestablishment of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. Not too shabby! His successor, Michael Norris is V.P. of External Relations, and is now stepping up to serve as the interim Executive Director while the board’s Search and Transition Committee conducts a national search for the next president. […]

http://articles.philly.com/2013-06-20/news/40072417_1_tom-kaiden-greater-philadelphia-cultural-alliance-operaphiladelphia

Kaiden quits as head of Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Stephan Salisbury June 20, 2013

Tom Kaiden, president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, is resigning to take a top tourism position in Virginia, the alliance announced.

A 12-year staffer with the alliance, Kaiden was named president in 2010 following the death of Peggy Amsterdam at the end of 2009. He will depart July 26.

David Devan, alliance board chair and general director of Opera Philadelphia, lauded the "tremendous job" Kaiden has done in Philadelphia.

"Over the past 12 years, Tom has provided strategic leadership and entrepreneurial energy," Devan said.

Kaiden, who directed the tourism bureau for Stowe, Vt., before joining the alliance in 2001, said "the travel industry has always been a deep professional and personal interest." When the opportunity arose to return to that business, he said, he took it.

"It's been an amazing 12 years with the cultural alliance," Kaiden said. "The most important thing has been the growth of the cultural sector and its importance as a regional asset."

He said "culture is critical to building the region's tax base; it's critical to building the region's economic growth."

Kaiden, 54, has been key in guiding growth of many alliance research projects measuring cultural activity and the arts' impact on the region's economy.

During his tenure, the alliance has also played an important role in defeating a proposed state tax on cultural-event tickets, reestablishment of the city's cultural office, and efforts to minimize cuts to state arts funding, among other political battles.

The alliance announced that Michael Norris, the organization's executive vice president for external affairs, will serve as interim executive director until a new president is named.

Sean Buffington, president of the University of the Arts, will head the alliance search committee for Kaiden's successor.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/item/56292-philly-cultural-alliance-leader-tom-kaiden-steppingdown?linktype=hp_topstory

Philly Cultural Alliance leader Tom Kaiden stepping down Peter Crimmins June 19, 2013

The head of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance will step down in July. Tom Kaiden, who has been with the region's primary cultural advocacy organization since 2001, has led the alliance for three years.

Kaiden took over the Cultural Alliance reins from the late Peggy Amsterdam at a time when there was little coordination of lobbying efforts for arts interests and issues in Harrisburg.

To give culture some teeth, Kaiden applied hard numbers to the arts.

"One of the things that I was able to do during my time here was our documentation of just how important culture is to the sector," said Kaiden. "The $3.3 billion impact and 44,000 jobs it generates are really important things that all Philadelphians need to know."

Kaiden started his career in the travel industry, and says his new job is a return to his roots. He has accepted the position of chief operating officer for the Alexandria Visitors and Convention Bureau in Virginia.

The board of the Cultural Alliance will soon begin a search for its new president. Board chairman David Devan says the arts sector will change more in the next few years than it has in the last decade.

"There are fundamental issues about how consumers engage with art, how they purchase art, how art is supported," said Devan. "The next leader will help us chart our navigation path through those changing waters."

Until the next president is found, Michael Norris, alliance vice president, will serve as interim. Norris, the founder of Art-Reach, an organization helping people with disabilities participate in cultural events, has been with the alliance since last year.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2013/06/18/head-of-cultural-alliance-resigns.html

President of Cultural Alliance to step down Peter Van Allen June 19, 2013

The president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance will step down next month, the organization said Wednesday.

Tom Kaiden, who has led the organization for three years and will leave at the end of July, will become chief operating officer at the Alexandria (Va.) Conference & Visitors Association.

Kaiden has spent 12 years with the organization, and took over leadership after the death of longtime leader Peggy Amsterdam.

“Over the past 12 years, Tom has provided strategic leadership and entrepreneurial energy,” David Devan, the Cultural Alliance’s board chair and director of Opera Philadelphia.

Kaiden introduced the “Engage 2020” initiative to double cultural engagement. He also oversaw the launch of the Phillyfunguide events calendar and Funsavers discount ticket service.

Arts-and-cultural organizations have a $3.3 billion economic impact on the region, according to research published by the Cultural Alliance.

On an interim basis, Michael Norris, vice president of external relations, will lead the organization.

A national search for a new president will be led by Sean Buffington, president of University of the Arts.

Kaiden’s boss at the Alexandria Conference & Visitors Association, president and CEO Patricia Washington, is a former executive at Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp.

http://www.giarts.org/blog/steve/tom-kaiden-stepping-down-greater-philadelphia-cultural-alliance

Tom Kaiden Stepping Down at Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Editor June 19, 2013 Tom Kaiden announced this week that he will step down as President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance to join the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association as their Chief Operating Officer in Alexandria, Virginia. His departure will take place on July 26. Michael Norris, V.P. of External Relations, will serve as the interim Executive Director while the board’s Search and Transition Committee conducts a national search for the next president.

See the full announcement.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Cultural-Alliance-President-Tom-Kaiden-to-Step-Down-Next-Month-20130619

Cultural Alliance President Tom Kaiden to Step Down Next Month Editor June 19, 2013

After 12 years with the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the last 3 as President, Tom Kaiden will be stepping down at the end of July to accept a new position as the Chief Operating Officer of the Alexandria (Virginia) Conference & Visitors Association.

"It has been a privilege to work with members, funders, board and staff of the Cultural Alliance," said Kaiden. "Together we've raised the bar, and Philadelphia has become a national model of cultural collaboration in marketing, research and advocacy. Culture is widely recognized as a defining competitive advantage for Philadelphia, and one with a huge return on investment."

"Over the past 12 years, Tom has provided strategic leadership and entrepreneurial energy," said David DeVan, the Cultural Alliance's Board Chair (General Director Opera Philadelphia). "We thank him for the tremendous job he has done at the Cultural Alliance, and we wish him well in his new challenge."

Kaiden's accomplishments include the introduction of the Engage 2020 initiative to double cultural engagement, and the launch of the Phillyfunguide regional events calendar and Funsavers discount ticket service. He also oversaw the publication of several major research reports including Research Into Action and Arts Culture and Economic Prosperity, a report that details the $3.3 billion economic impact of the region's nonprofit cultural sector.

After Kaiden's departure, Vice President of External Relations Michael Norris will serve as the Interim Executive Director. "I'm grateful to have worked with Tom," said Norris.

"The work of the cultural sector is so vital to Philadelphia. With this change, we are all committed to making the Alliance even stronger."

The Cultural Alliance Search & Transition Committee will be chaired by Vice Chair, Sean Buffington (President, University of the Arts), and with the help of an executive search firm, will conduct a national search for the Alliance's next president.

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local//item/56014-councilman-curtis-jones-honored-for-support-ofarts-education/

Councilmen Jones and Goode honored for support of arts education Yasmein James June 13, 2013

Councilmen Curtis Jones Jr. and W. Wilson Goode Jr. were given superhero capes during city council for their support of education and arts in the schools, last Thursday.

The event was hosted by a group of arts and education supporters including ArtsRising, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s GroundSwell Movement and the Public Citizens for Children and Youth Coalition.

During the event, the councilmen experienced firsthand examples of the importance of arts in schools with several presentations including musical selections, poetry readings and a short movie depicting what could happen if funding isn’t granted.

They also were given letters from public school students and community members expressing the importance of music and arts in the schools as well as a DVD made by students at Lewis C. Cassidy Academics Plus School. Jones was also given a large print calendar of the “Faces and Places of Overbrook” by Overbook Elementary students.

Councilman Jones said he was impressed by the level of activism and the different voices that were raised over the debate of the many issues that the school district is facing. He was also inspired by the bravery and courage of the parents, students, teachers, administrators, school nurses and others who have supported the school district and their neighborhood schools.

“I appreciate receiving the cape and being recognized as a hero, but believe that the parents, activists and students are the real heroes,” said Jones.

According to a press release, he was caped for voting for full funding for public schools as well as his role in getting fellow council members involved to take action to save arts education in schools.

He represents the fourth district that includes sections of Overbrook, Manayunk, East Falls and Roxborough.

“I appreciate this honor for what I believe to be simply doing my job,� said Councilman Goode.

Goode was caped for his support of a proposal to increase the Use and Occupancy Tax. It is expected to generate between $32 million and $72 million with most of it going towards public education.

http://www.generocity.org/2013/checking-in-on-groundswell-a-shift-to-public-education-advocacy-as-doomsday-cutsloom/

Checking in on GroundSwell: A Shift to Public Education Advocacy as ‘Doomsday’ Cuts Loom Andy Sharpe June 10th, 2013

Back in February, we reported on an exciting new initiative from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (GPCA) called GroundSwell. The focus of GroundSwell was to encourage grassroots advocacy of arts and culture issues across Greater Philadelphia. Since GroundSwell launched with an instrument drive, their focus has shifted to public education.

In fact, GroundSwell, along with Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), has taken on arguably the biggest issue facing the City of Philadelphia, which is city and state funding for the floundering School District of Philadelphia. Late last week, the School District made headlines by sending lay-off notices to 3,500 staff members.

GroundSwell has been encouraging students, teachers, and legions of others who support quality public schools to attend City Council hearings since May, and is planning on continuing this effort for a few weeks.

Specifically, organizers within PCCY and GPCA urged City Council to pass an additional $60 million in funding for the School District. “Consider what happens if the school district doesn’t get the $60 million from City Council and additional resources from the state,” said Karim Olaechea, public relations manager at GPCA, foreshadowing the recently announced lay-offs.

“Class sizes will swell, art and music programs will disappear, and kids will have fewer opportunities available to them.” PCCY was instrumental in organizing the GroundSwell efforts to convince City Council to kick in more money. They were able to convince students from public schools with stronger art programs across the city to come out and create a spectacle in front of City Council members.

These students did everything from sing to Council members, participate in puppet parades, and bestow super hero capes on lawmakers who have strong records on education funding, said Anthony Hopkins, the new communications director at PCCY.

These students, and many others, also created poems, songs, videos, and letters, with the help of PCCY, in support of funding.

Balancing Interests in the Funding Debate To be sure, students within the School District of Philadelphia are not the only ones incensed at the impending budget cuts. GroundSwell featured the head of the Nebinger Home and School Association, Maureen Fratantoni, at a City Council meeting in midMay. As with students, PCCY has taken the lead in organizing parents to coax decisionmakers into approving more funding. GroundSwell, while not directly organizing, has also supported other parents’ efforts to protest budget cuts, including a “Rally for Public Education” held by the Friends of Mifflin School in East Falls.

PCCY reports that GroundSwell has found some enthusiastic advocates in City Council.

Public school students awarded super hero capes to Councilwomen Blondell ReynoldsBrown, Maria Quinones-Sanchez, Councilmen Curtis Jones and Wilson Goode Jr. Hopkins elaborated that both councilwomen explicitly support enhanced funding for both public and arts education, while both councilmen have demonstrated a commitment to find an additional $60 million for the School District.

GroundSwell is playing a balancing act when it comes to the teacher’s union, both working closely with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and suggesting union concessions. “Currently we are working with the PFT rep, Margaret Lineman from Classroom Instrumental Music Teachers, to coordinate our advocacy actions,” said Hopkins at PCCY. However, the initiative does admit that union concessions will be necessary to close the budget gap. Over at GPCA, Olaechea clarified, “we aren’t, nor do we seek to be, a party to any negotiation between the district and its employees.”

In order to accommodate the School District of Philadelphia’s request, the Nutter administration is calling for an increase in the liquor tax, the institution of a cigarette tax, and a more aggressive strategy to reel in delinquent property taxes.

The liquor tax would be bolstered from 10 to 15%, which is a move estimated to generate an additional $22 million in revenue. The cigarette tax would add $2 to the cost of a pack of cigarettes, although it wouldn’t be able to go into effect until January.

Mayor Nutter says this will bring in another $45 million in funds for schools. Finally, the city hopes to find new strategies and tactics to pursue those in arrears on property taxes.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Councilpersons-Goode-and-Jones-to-Receive-Hero-Capes-forSupport-of-Education-and-Arts-in-Schools-66-20130605

Councilpersons Goode and Jones to Receive Hero Capes for Support of Education and Arts in Schools, 6/6 Editor June 5, 2013

A coalition of arts and education supporters, parents and school staff organized by Public Citizens for Children and Youth, ArtsRising, an initiative of the Philadelphia Education Fund, and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance's GroundSwell movement (among others) will present Concilpersons Curtis Jones, Jr. and W. Wilson Goode, Jr. with Arts Education Superhero capes for their outspoken support for keeping arts and music education in Philadelphia's public schools.

Councilman Goode is being honored for his support for a proposal to increase the Use & Occupancy tax that is expected to generate between $32 million and $72 million, mostly for public education. Councilman Jones, on the other hand, has committed to voting for full funding for public schools and has taken a leading role in rallying his fellow councilmembers to take action to save arts education.

Event Schedule: 9:30 AM - A students will recite a poem for the councilmember outside City Hall Chambers 9:35 AM - A parent will speak, followed by the councilmembers.

9:40 AM - Students will present the councilmembers with a cape and thank them for supporting arts education in Philadelphia.

9:45 AM - Students and parents will walk to city council offices presenting council members with DVDs of a Claymation video, "Be a Superhero," created by the Clay Studio intern Samantha Ashok, a senior at Masterman High School. The video encourages politicians to support the arts and "be a superhero for arts ed." WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE: http://youtu.be/6r9rQaTNYH0 The Pennsylvania state education budget is in crisis, having been cut by $1 billion since 2010. Locally, the cuts have financially distressed the School District of Philadelphia, which has asked City Council in its FY 2014 budget to provide an additional $60 million to schools.

Without this additional funding, concessions from the unions and an additional $120 million from the state legislature, Philadelphia public schools will be left with a bare bones budget, cutting instrumental music, art and music teachers, sports teams, nurses, secretaries, extracurriculars, and more.

"My school will not be able to open its doors," said Leslie Mason, principal of Mifflin School. Arts education is the key to keeping students engaged in school, making learning matter, and preparing students for 21st century careers. Without strong school arts programs, the strong arts organizations and businesses that are the underpinning of the city's creative economy are also at risk.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Students-Urge-Council-to-Solve-Phillys-Education-Crisis209359761.html

Students Urge Council to Solve Philly's Education Crisis Sarah Glover May 30, 2013

About a dozen students from Samuel Powel Elementary in West Philadelphia descended on City Hall today armed with 4-foot terracotta warrior puppets and a large dose of hope in their hearts.

Hope that the Philadelphia School District's budget crisis will soon be resolved.

"I am a little scared," said third grader Seva Staack, 9. "I feel like they are going to save my school."

Understanding what exactly they were protesting for wasn't easy for the children.

Staack's school is not on the list of 24 set to close at the end of this year, but if the budget cuts go through it could very well mean no more art classes at Powel.

Parents who signed their children out of school for the protest were also there to help get the message across to city leaders. The students performed a choreographed routine for Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell outside her fourth floor office.

"We don't know what will happen but every council person cares about what happens to our schools," Blackwell said to the students as their parents took photos and videos of the creative protest.

The Philadelphia School District is asking the city to come up with an additional $60 million to help close a $304 million budget hole.

"I wish I could tell these children affirmatively, but we don't know how we will come up with $60 million," Blackwell went on to say. "I always find it sad when kids are involved with fighting. It's an adult problem."

Powel parent Anne Pomerantz said the process is "frustrating and exhausting." Her son Leo Cohen, 9, is a third grader at Powel.

"Every spring we are fighting the same battle," said Pomerantz. "We are constantly fighting having our school defunded or closed. Things are not getting any better." Still, she is hopeful that the arts and other programs will be spared. Pomerantz says the state should come up with a public education funding model that is fair to all districts.

This afternoon, City Council considered about a dozen bills that have an impact on city revenue. Blackwell stated she was for a tobacco tax and taxing casinos as opposed to neighborhood businesses.

The School District of Philadelphia FY 2014 proposed operating budget recommends extensive cuts to accommodate the $304 million revenue shortfall. Arts education, sports, guidance counselors and librarians are all on the chopping block.

"Since Jannie Blackwell has a Masters in Arts Education, we think she should be as concerned about this as anybody," said Karim Olaechea of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. "Obviously she knows the value of arts education.

Maintaining that quality of education should be a priority for all in City Council."

After talking with Blackwell, the students and their parents went knocking on the doors of other council members to amplify their concerns.

"We urge you to get creative," one parent said to Councilman Bill Green as the students huddled near his desk.

Mayor Wilson Goode was meeting with his son Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr. when the students came knocking on the councilman's door.

"We have a lot of work to do, but I'm on your side," Councilman Goode told the children.

"We were wondering if you could give us a bit more money for our school," said kindergartner Anya Agha, 6, to Councilman James Kenney.

"We need to do something," Pomerantz said to Kenney. "Because we all have to go back to school in September."

"I promise we'll do on our end, but now it's time for the state to step up." said Kenney.

"We could collect our taxes better."

The students presented each council member with a paintbrush as a small gesture and a reminder.

The terracotta puppets they brought along to City Hall were created in partnership with the Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) and Spiral Q, a puppet theater company in the school's neighborhood. PCCY funded the project under its Picasso Project. Teaching artists from Spiral Q showed the students how to create the terracotta warriors and taught the history behind them.

After the students finished making their rounds at City Hall, their parents took them back to school by car and taxi.

http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/articles/2013/05/28/garnet_valley_press/news/doc51a4ea6bb2f48335 561722.txt

Films by students get a media premier Editor May 28, 2013

Family members, Media Arts Council and Media Youth Center board members recently attended the premier of films produced by students enrolled in the MyFi film class.

Students working in two teams produced the films: "Sorry" and “Home.” “Sorry” was about the consequences, guilt and healing of a violent incident and "Home" told the journey of a couple as they deal with transitioning a family member to a new home.

Hezekiah Lewis and Darrly Ridgeway are instructors of MyFi, a collaboration of Media Arts Council and Media Youth Center. Students wrote the film scripts and produced, directed, acted in, filmed, recorded and edited the films. Filming was done in various locations around Media. Filming equipment was purchased with grant support from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Best Buy and Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Foundation.

MyFi instructor, local filmmaker and Professor of Communications at Villanova University, Hezekiah Lewis was impressed with the diligence and creativity of the students. “Filmmakers are essentially storytellers and I believe every kid has a compelling story to share with the world. Film is more to me than a technical medium. It is an artistic vehicle for young people to express themselves. What are they really thinking and what message do they want to put out there for future generations to watch and learn from?” he said.

The students were: Alex Mulher of Delaware Valley Friends; Ashley Hoyle of Strath Haven; Catherine Mesure of Interboro; Dymir Hughes of Upper Darby; DJ Gleason of Penncrest; Rachel Kelly of Garnet Valley, home schooled; Matt Munzi of Garnet Valley and Anthony Taurisano of Strath Haven.

http://www.philebrity.com/2013/05/15/support-additional-funding-for-arts-programs-with-groundswell-yaknow-for-kids/

Support Additional Funding For Arts Programs With Groundswell, Ya Know … For Kids Editor May 15, 2013

We all know that, when it comes to budgets, we don’t have enough money in ours. So of course some things need to be cut to make everything else run as smoothly as possible. However, it seems that education is always first on that list of things to cut, and the people at Groundswell (as well as rational people everywhere) don’t like that.

So they’ve got a plan: GroundSwell, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) are working together to bring a coalition of arts education supporters, parents and school staff to City Council to show their support for increased public schools funds and arts education. We will be at Council sessions every Thursday between now and mid-June: May 16, May 23, May 30, June 6 and June 13. Council sessions begin at 10:00AM; we will convene in the hall outside Council Chambers at 9:30AM.” You see, education cuts have “financially distressed the School District of Philadelphia, which has asked City Council to provide an additional $60 million to schools in its FY2014 budget.” Without these additional funds, art and music programs (always the first to go) could be cut, along with other extracurricular programs and staff. You can join them in showing your support for these additional funds, as is said above, on the next few Thursdays. They just ask that you RSVP over here and maybe try to make a clever sign.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/05/02/1-million-in-grants-go-to-help-the-arts-in-philadelphia/

$1-Million In Grants Go To Help The Arts In Philadelphia Ian Bush May 2, 2013

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia has been honored as the best city in the country for culture. For many creative groups that help to shape that reputation, a major bank continues to serve as a patron of the arts.

To the beat of the African dance and drum group Kulu Mele, PNC Bank announced the 21 organizations that would get a share of $1-million in grant money.

“It makes more people become part of art.”

Bill Mills is PNC’s regional president.

“The whole idea is to extend the audience, to get more people involved, and we’ve done it with over 120 different organizations over the last five years.”

From small street performers to cornerstones like the Mann Center, where CEO Catherine Cahill says the cash will help them stage a ‘Symphonic Sportstacular’ on June 24: “Taking some of the most important and memorable scenes and moments in Philadelphia sports history, and marrying it with great symphonic music. [Eagles playby-play voice, WIP's] Merrill Reese will be our host for the evening.”

Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance president Tom Kaiden says PNC’s Arts Alive program reflects the city’s cultural diversity: “Culture is one of the things that makes Philadelphia stand apart. This investment makes sure that we can be a world class city.”