September 2012 Board Press Highlights

September 2012 Press Highlights May 19 to September 13, 2012 Di Domizio, Tony, “Recommendation on Arts Center Purpose Coming in October” Montgomeryville-Lansdale Patch, 9/7/2012 Lear, Len, “For local owner of studio, home is where the art is” Chestnut Hill Local, 9/6/2012 Cantell, Mary, “Creative Montco hold public launch of cultural plans” Montgomery Media, 9/4/2012 Chenevert, Bill, “Why is Jay-Z Going Corporate for the Made in America Festival?”

Philadelphia Weekly, 8/29/2012 Duncan, Jericka, “Tough Economy Puts a Strain on PHILADANCO” CBSPhilly, 8/17/2012 Dukeman, Rachel, “Why Philly Clicks: Arts & Culture Sector Masters Social Media Keystone Edge, 8/7/2012 th

Editor, “Summer Breezin’ fundraiser on Aug. 3 to support 4 Annual Paoli Blues Fest Mainline Media News, 8/3/2012 Van Allen, Peter, “Changing its strategy, Jewish history museum cuts staff, creates 5-year plan” Philadelphia Business Journal, 8/3/2012 Gibbons, Margaret, “Who sez Montgomery County gots no culture and arts?”

PhillyBurbs, 8/1/2012 Salisbury, Stephan, “William Penn Foundation makes $10.9 million in arts grants The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/11/2012 Kristofic, Christina, “The changing of the guard” PhillyBurbs, 7/9/2012 Heller, Karen, “Pragmatic vision and mutual relationships necessary for Philadelphia cultural institutions to stay afloat” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/4/2012 Editor, “Pew awards more than $2 million to cultural organizations in Philadelphia region” El Hispano, 7/3/2012 Freeman, Jarreau, “Residents paint mural to bridge communities” Glenside News, 6/21/2012 Editor, “Arts and Cultural Council hosts member event” Bucks County Herald, 6/14/2012 McDonald, Shannon, “10 area cultural organizations get $2.1 million from Pew” Newsworks, 6/18/2012 Editor, “Professional Development Programs at the Greater Phila. Cultural Alliance” Philly Creative Guide, 6/7/2012 Booker, Bobbie, “’Blogging While Brown’ draws best and brightest” Sunday Tribune, 6/3/2012 Editor, “Donna Summer Paintings Are Hot Stuff, Chelsea Gallery Tower Wars With Condos, and More Must-Read Art News” ArtInfo, 5/30/2012

Salisbury, Stephan, “Survey says the Philadelphia region’s cultural picture is brighter” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/24/2012 Van Allen, Peter, “Philadelphia’s cultural groups recovering but finances still fragile” Philadelphia Business Journal, 5/24/2012 Editor, “And Now, Today’s GOOD NEWS: The Cultures Are Bright” Philebrity, 5/23/2012 McGinnis, James, “Stage set for new arts and culture program” Bucks County Courier Times, 5/21/2012 Elliott, Stuart, “Ads Ask You to ‘Picture’ Philadelphia as an Art Destination” The New York Times, 5/21/2012

http://lansdale.patch.com/articles/recommendation-on-arts-center-purpose-coming-in-october

Recommendation on Arts Center Purpose Coming in October Tony Di Domizio September 7, 2012

As 311 W. Main Task Force Chairman allegorically put it Thursday night, the task force is now at Fourth and Goal at the one yard line, with the game on the line.

Next month, the 311 W. Main Task Force's purpose and efforts will come to a close as it is poised to recommend to borough council an elaborate and in-depth direction for the former performing arts center in the heart of Lansdale.

That direction, based on opinions of members, is to renovate the building all at once and develop it into a film and performing arts center.

Chairman Mike Sobel had asked each task force member to summarize their opinions on what should be recommended, based on draft findings in the business plan from consultant AMS Planning & Research.

Every one of the task force members, of the voting and ex-officio capacity, wants an arts center.

However, there is a difference of opinion in the ranks of the task force.

On one side are those who want to phase the project, and on the other side are those who want to recommend the borough renovate the facility all at once.

The phasing option is favored by consultant AMS Planning and contracted architect Spiezle Architects.

Montgomery County Planning Commission member Brian O'Leary is part of the former group. He told the task force that the proposal of phases is more feasible.

"There is a need for movies in the area," O'Leary said. "Maybe there could be space dedicated to an arts center."

O'Leary said Lansdale can be a great marketing area for theater and performance.

"I still think Lansdale needs to have some magnet for the downtown," O'Leary said.

Task force member Doug Pett said he is an opponent to phasing the project.

"If you phase it, you'll never finish it," Pett said. "You could do the first floor, and then years down the road do the second floor. The final burden will be on another council."

"It needs to go forward 100 percent and do all the renovations at once," Pett said.

Cost, he said, is a huge pro and a huge con.

"The public is for it. Everybody wants it. It fills a need for Lansdale," he said. "We need it to continue to revitalize Lansdale Borough."

Pett said the reality is if the borough does nothing with the center, it still costs Lansdale money.

"What's the lesser of the two evils?" said Pett. "We want to put business back, get people to Lansdale. You have to spend money to make money."

Ultimately, the cost for fixing $4 million of code violations inside the center will be council's decision, as will any fundraising plans.

Nancy DeLucia, regional director for the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and ex-officio member of the task force, said the borough should renovate the entire facility, as it's an important investment for the revitalization of Lansdale.

"I have one concern: the operating budget is optimistic. It's very important to have that budget," DeLucia said. "You have to prepare for several years. You have to go in eyes wide open. You don't want to repeat what happened before."

DeLucia said the community cannot handle two performance spaces in the center.

Task force member Dawn Harvey said the communty will very much support an arts center.

"I agree that it should be a theater/film space with art as well," she said. "The quality of programming has to be great. If it's great, people will tell people about it and they will want more."

Harvey supported the idea of phasing — and proffered the idea of turning a vacant storefront on West Main Street into a black box theater to gain momentum that can be carried over to the new arts center.

O'Leary and DeLucia liked that idea, as it has shown successful in places like South Street in Philadelphia. [‌]

http://chestnuthilllocal.com/blog/2012/09/06/local-owner-studio-home-art/

For local owner of studio, home is where the art is Len Lear September 6, 2012

For Jane Alpern, home certainly is where the art is. For the past eight years, she has been offering a wide range of art classes in her Dresher home. At the Alpern Art Studio students can be found drawing, painting, working with clay, pastels and printmaking.

They explore different media and learn new techniques in this small environment where no experience is necessary.

Alpern, 58, grew up in Long Branch, NJ. Her father owned a delicatessen, and her mother was the librarian at the West Long Branch Public Library. Jane went to Long Branch High School, Monmouth College and Beaver College (now Arcadia) in Glenside.

She was an English major in college until her friend Louise persuaded her to take a pottery class. “I fell in love with clay and switched my major to art,” explained Jane, who went on to earn a BFA in Fine Arts and a M.Ed. in Art Education.

Alpern has lived in Dresher for 26 years, and she has two adult children, Sarah Kramer, 30, and David Kramer, 26. Ten years ago, after her children were self-sufficient, Alpern began teaching art in several different venues, including a studio in her own home.

“By holding classes in my home,” she explained, “I hope to create a comfortable, safe and nurturing environment. I really get to know my students. Many students who return year after year live right in her neighborhood and are able to walk to class. Others come from nearby areas.”

According to Mt. Airy resident Ava Sonnenthal, the mother of one student, Lily Schwartz, 7, “I found Jane’s studio on Phillyfunguide.com while searching for summer camps for my daughter. I was so impressed with the friendly yet professional atmosphere that Jane creates for her students. As a Waldorf teacher myself, I’m grateful my child has this opportunity to invent and experience beauty.”

In addition to classes in her own home studio, Jane teaches an after-school art class at the Good Shepherd Catholic Regional School in Glenside (formerly Queen of Peace) and a Judaic Arts class for a Jewish Teen Collaborative involving two local synagogues.

In recent years she has not been producing enough clay work to participate in shows, but she was in the Strictly Functional Pottery National in 1993 and in shows at the

Whitemarsh Arts Center and the Watertower in Chestnut Hill. She has also created such items as a dinnerware set and handmade books based on Hindu prayers for private commissions.

The books are sacred texts containing wise sayings in Sanskrit. They were gifts for three young men for a religious ceremony. Jane printed the cover, making a plate with a tree branch on styrofoam. The inside has a metal relief design on the left. On the right is a center print and border print she made by drawing into styrofoam and using ink and brayer, and she bound it using a Japanese stab binding.

For younger students in her studio, Jane’s projects are age-appropriate, and students explore a wide variety of techniques and are exposed to the work of famous artists.

They learn the art elements of shape, line, color, and texture, thus developing an art vocabulary as well as skills. “Creating art is also great for stress reduction,” Jane said.

Jane is also now offering mom-and-tot and adults-only classes through Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation. In addition to drawing, painting and printing, adult offerings include book arts and visual journals. Pottery for adults is being offered through Upper Dublin Adult Evening School.

For pots, Alpern used to work in high-fire stoneware, reduction and salt firing, but she recently purchased an electric kiln and is experimenting with low-fire oxidation firing.

“It’s been a great way for my adult students to relax,” said Jane, “to escape from their day-to-day routines and enjoy the company of other adults.”

For more information, visit www.alpernart.com or email greygreen@comcast.net

http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2012/09/04/entertainment/doc504661476399e206979630.txt?v iewmode=fullstory

Creative Montco holds public launch of cultural plans Mary Cantell September 04, 2012

It started with a vision — a vision to cultivate the landscape of Montgomery County. Not an agricultural undertaking — the county is already blessed with plentiful gold and green rolling fields of flourishing farmland. It was more of an economically-friendly, cultural kind of cultivation.

As the newborn idea began to grow legs, it developed into emails, surveys, interviews, social media and various committees. One day, thousands of people had become involved in parenting the vision to improve the cultural landscape of Montgomery County. They named it: Creative Montco.

Years of effort have gone into the Creative Montco project that includes the input of county officials as well as businesspeople and art connoisseurs. More than 1,900 people spread over all 62 of Montgomery County’s municipalities have contributed their time in the initiative.

“There’s been a lot of discussion to strengthen the infrastructure of creative arts,” said Nancy DeLucia, director of policy and community engagement at the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “We want to support the many and diverse arts and cultural organizations in the county while broadening awareness and enhancing participation.”

The initial founders first convened two summers ago at the 2010 Arts and Culture Summit, where a fresh stirring of ideas was shared in a forum established to consider which direction to nurture their vision of arts and cultural offerings. Next week, after two years of collaborating, they’ll be holding a community-wide launch party to unveil their findings.

“We want to inform and tell people our vision for the future,” said DeLucia, who’s very grateful for all of the support from the William Penn and Montgomery County Foundations as well as individuals.

The cultural blueprint of the 10-year plan for the community is open to everyone who lives or works in the county, especially those with a vested interest in the arts and how it lends to the economic and future well-being of the county. So far, more than 200 have registered to attend.

The celebration begins with networking from 4 to 4:30 p.m., followed by a presentation from 4:30 to 5:15 p.m., and an hors d’oeuvres reception, including locally connected entertainment, from 5:15 to 6 p.m. To RSVP, go to www.creativemontco.eventbrite.com or call 610-313-9836.

MCCC’s president and steering committee chairperson is Dr. Karen A. Stout, who shares the vision that “culture and creativity are among a community’s most powerful assets.

“Creative Montco reflects the growing trend to integrate cultural and economic development,” said Stout. “By recognizing the link between nonprofit and for-profit creative activity and combining them under the creative sector umbrella, we acknowledge their common interests and often-overlooked role within regional economies.”

“We want to nurture anything that is already there,” said DeLucia of the already established artistic venues in the communities. “The impact of arts and culture is that it elevates life and is a tool to educate people. Kids who are involved have better test results; they think out of the box. Arts and festivals bring people together, and research shows it bridges communities.”

If you’ve ever driven past a theater of the arts on a Friday or Saturday night, you’ll feel first-hand what they’re talking about.

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/made_in_america_paid_in_philadelphia167747115.html

Why Is Jay-Z Going Corporate for the Made in America Festival?

Bill Chenevert August 29, 2012

This weekend, thousands of people are going to descend upon our Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the first event of its kind: a ticketed Parkway festival curated by Jay-Z, one of the most successful rappers of all time. From the Marcy Projects of BedfordStuyvesant in Brooklyn to a sold-out black-tie charity event at Carnegie Hall this past winter, the erstwhile Shawn Corey Carter has come a long way. He was 12 years old when he shot his brother in the shoulder for trying to steal his jewelry; now, he buys Cartier for his superstar wife, Beyoncé, and rhymes about wearing Hublot watches. The man is worth more than $450 million; he’s a living, breathing testament to the power of capitalism. Jay-Z is “made in America.” And with Budweiser’s help, he’s putting on a most-bangin’ two-day festival, and Philadelphia’s the lucky host city.

The last time the Parkway was flooded with concert-goers was a mere eight weeks ago, for Wawa’s Welcome America Independence Day extravaganza on July 4. As one of the nation’s biggest free fireworks and entertainment blowouts put on by a city, it’s no small feat of logistics. Despite a 16-year-old who shot two other teens, the night went off without a glitch, punctuated by a sizzling surprise set by Lauryn Hill. That is to say, Philadelphia’s no stranger to large crowds. Back in 1985, the star-studded Live Aid took place at what was then John F. Kennedy Stadium, down by a then-burgeoning South Philadelphia Sports Complex. At the U.S. half of a cross-Atlantic concert event raising funds to feed starving Ethiopians (the other was Wembley Stadium in London), about 100,000 people were in attendance. Then, 20 years later, Philadelphia was again the U.S. host amid a slew of simultaneous Live 8 anniversary concerts, an event that was a part of a Global Call for Action Against Poverty. This time, it was on the Parkway, and a densely packed crowd stretched out for nearly a mile from the Art Museum steps. The seven-hour attendance estimates ranged from 600,000 to 1.5 million people.

Now, for the first time in the history of the Ben Franklin Parkway and Philadelphia, the Parkway is being turned into a ticketable venue. Nearly 50,000 concert-goers will flood the Parkway on both days. This time, it’s sponsored by Budweiser, with a portion of

tickets and concessions going to benefit the United Way. And while there’s a striking note of capitalism to Jay-Z’s festival, the money that the United Way will receive is no small check. Jill Michal, CEO and president of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, tells PW: “In the contract, up front in lieu of a portion of ticket sales, a minimum of $500,000 goes to the United Way.” Some of those funds will go to the United Ways of Lancaster and New York City, but “beyond that, the United Way will get a portion of beer concessions and VIP ticket sales, with a neighborhood estimate of another couple hundred thousand,” explains Michal. The United Way was also given 600 tickets to give away, promote with and simply gift to volunteers and donors. Not too shabby, Jay. There’s no denying the potential for a corporate-sponsored festival to smell like dirty money. Every time you’ve heard about this festival, it’s with the big ol’ Budweiser nameprint slapped in front of it. And in that clever commercial during the Olympics— with young, sexy, creative types running around getting ready to cross genres and cultural lines at the Made in America fest—they all happen to be sipping Bud longnecks.

It looks so easy and natural. All that’s by design: Jay reportedly began working with Bud’s parent brewer Anheuser-Busch in late 2006 as an official “co-brand director” for Budweiser Select, according to a company press release that touted how he would “be involved in providing direction” on “upcoming Budweiser Select television ads, radio spots, print campaigns and several high profile events.”

Jay-Z is nothing if not a shrewd businessman, and there’s no question he’ll walk away with a fat paycheck. But in securing the talent that he did and organizing an unprecedented event on the Parkway, the real value he brings is less as musician and more as executive. Whereas his wife was reportedly given nearly $7 million for a string of sold-out Revel Resort comeback shows back in May, Jay told the Inquirer’s Dan DeLuca he would be taking a pay cut—as an in-demand performer, that is—in order to guarantee an exciting lineup.

Speaking of talent, let’s break down the acts for a moment. Details about the festival have been mysteriously tight-lipped and will be rolling out this week as the date inches closer. We know that performances will commence at 2 p.m. and finish near 11 p.m. across several stages and a dance music tent. Jay-Z will headline Saturday night, with Pearl Jam closing out the whole weekend on Sunday night. Skrillex, Miike Snow and Calvin Harris will provide plenty of dance fodder Saturday, with the divisive Maybach Music Group (featuring Rick Ross, Wale and Meek Mill) rounding out the top acts below Jay. The co-headliners on Sunday are Drake, Chris Cornell and Jill Scott, with a big set from Run-DMC, too; supporters include Afrojack, Odd Future, Alesso, The Hives, X, Santigold, a DJ Shadow set, Betatraxx, Rita Ora, Burns and The Knocks. The honest truth is that there are some artists in these lineups that are a bit puzzling. Skrillex potentially following a D’Angelo set is a bit of a head-scratcher. And the bottom of each day is littered with artists that require a bit of creative Googling. On the other hand, supporting acts like Philly girls Scott and Santigold, plus Drake, Dirty Projectors, Janelle Monáe and DJ Shadow, are pretty huge.

The hope is that it all goes off with nary a hitch. “We’re gonna do all that we can to make sure this event runs smoothly and cleanly,” says Mayor Nutter’s spokesman, Mark McDonald. “The city has a group of managers with deep institutional knowledge, and there have been myriad meetings involving the police, emergency services, the fire department” and more. In a way, Made in America puts the spotlight on Philadelphia: Can we pull this off? Will it go well? Could this happen more often? We’re certainly going to see a significant spillover of money this weekend in the hotel, retail and food service areas. But as McDonald points out, what would normally be a last weekend for Philadelphians to escape to the shore or the Poconos is now a massive weekend for the city. Attendees will be coming up from D.C. and Baltimore and down from North Jersey and New York City. They’ll no doubt find themselves at Fairmount bars and crashing in area hotels. But also, the hope is that visitors and Philadelphians alike will use this weekend to take advantage of other Parkway-area attractions. The Barnes and the Art Museum will be open their usual hours, and hopefully they’ll pull in some first-time visitors and long-term fans.

Still, one wonders: Is the Budweiser sponsorship necessary? Jay’s got enough money to put this on himself and maybe even make it another Live Aid or Live 8. Making money on a festival is not a bad thing, per se. But the power that he and his megastar wife wield is big enough to exact serious change for real people struggling in cities.

Fans in low places may even be tired of hearing Jay and Kanye West rapping about Margiela jackets and yachts. We know Chuck D’s skeptical. The Public Enemy frontman recently told the U.K. newspaper The Times: “Hip-hop celebrates those who wanna make a killing instead of a living. I like those guys, but they make me laugh sometimes because I don’t get who they’re here for, other than themselves.” And earlier this month, Harry Belafonte told the Hollywood Reporter that Jay-Z and his wife could be doing more: “I think one of the great abuses of this modern time is that we should have had such high-profile artists, powerful celebrities. But they have turned their back on social responsibility,” Belafonte said. “That goes for Jay-Z and Beyonce, for example. Give me Bruce Springsteen, and now you’re talking.” Springsteen—who’ll also be in Philadelphia this week, satisfying crowds with his Wrecking Ball tour at Citizens Bank Park both Sunday and Monday nights—has a history of political advocacy and matched donations that is, indeed, much longer than hip-hop’s first couple. But is that a bad thing?

At least almost three-quarters of a million dollars could make its way into seed money for the United Way’s collaboration with the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, which plans to unveil specifics about its World Class Greater Philadelphia initiative over the next couple months. Financial support will help develop three major areas aimed at making Philadelphia a world-class city: infrastructure, business development and education and talent development.

Artist and arts advocate James Claiborne, community engagement manager for the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, offers a practical perspective: “Corporation, industry and business are not always dirty words. I return to JayZ’s quote during the press conference on the steps of the Art Museum. He said ‘Whenever I enter into a project, I try to hit on some touch point. The first thing is:

Is it great? The second one is: Is it gonna push the culture forward?’” And that may be exactly what Jay-Z is doing here—pushing communities, genres and fans together in a progressive and forward-thinking way. But what about what Belafonte says? “In terms of the MIA festival, sure, the humanitarian messaging and strategy could have been a bit stronger and louder,” Claiborne offered, “and we may be missing some opportunity to impact the lives of people in need. But I don’t think that’s what Jay-Z set out to do. And that is OK in my book.”

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/08/17/tough-economy-puts-a-strain-on-philadanco/

Tough Economy Puts A Strain On PHILADANCO Jericka Duncan August 17, 2012

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Since 1970, The Philadelphia Dance Company has been on the move.

The chair of PHILADANCO’s Board of Directors, Angela Brown, says founder Joan Myers Brown, no relation, has produced some of the best dancers in the world. But the road to international acclaim and success has not been easy. For the first time in recent memory, PHILADANCO went dark this summer.

Brown said the company had to lay off dancers in June to ensure PHILADANCO is fiscally sound for the fall season.

The president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Tom Kaiden, released a report last year outlining revenue figures for nearly 300 area arts organizations.

The report found that in 2009, those organizations saw a 36 percent drop in corporate support, a 30 percent drop in foundation support and 11 percent decrease from the government.

According to Kaiden, individuals are sustaining the arts. Last year’s report found that giving was up 20 percent during the recession. Companies like PHILADANCO are focused more on receiving support from the people who attend their shows.

Friday at 7:30 PHILADANCO is hosting its first Founder’s Day performance at the Dell Music Center. For more information on how you can support The Philadelphia Dance Company, go to www.philadanco.org.

http://keystoneedge.com/features/phillysocialmediaartsandculture0806.aspx

Why Philly Clicks: Arts & Culture Sector Masters Social Media Rachel Dukeman August 7, 2012

Now that social media is a billion dollar industry, there are countless articles boasting: “4 Social Media Practices That Boost Results,” “Five Best Social Media Practices for Small Businesses,” ‘11 Best Practices For Nonprofits Using Social Media,” and the search results go on. Despite how well it’s utilized, what seems striking is how social media usage differs by region or sector. So I set out to ascertain what makes Philly click by specifically looking into the creative ways the arts and culture sector here integrate social media into their work.

Philly, like most metropolitan cities, has had an active social networking scene with numerous personal accounts and more authoritative organizational accounts for multiple years now. Over the past two years, however, Philly has seen more social media innovation due in part to the focus on new media from funders like the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, PNC Arts Alive and the Knight Arts Challenge. The trend of Philadelphia becoming a tech hub and great place for entrepreneurial start-ups has also affected the arts and culture sector here, increasing competition and availability to new media and ideas.

“Via our social media workshop, groups in Philly improved more than any other city that we have measured, even though they started at roughly the same level as the other cities,” says Ron Evans, Principal of Group Of Minds, an arts technology planning and audience engagement firm in California.

So what makes Philly arts and culture click?

Incorporating Audiences The operative word in “social media” is social, and it’s hard to be social without friends, which in arts and culture terms translates to audience.

“Our social media content is organic and audience driven,” says Alexis Jeffcoat, Development and Programs Coordinator at Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Laurel Hill Cemetery has an incredibly active Facebook page whose frequent posts containing photos and text are shared, liked, and commented on by multiple viewers.

Over the past two years, Laurel Hill Cemetery has had 3,124 photos tagged by both staff and their 1,527 fans, the majority of which are local.

“We might be a cemetery, but our social life isn’t dead,” proclaims Marietta Dooley, whose volunteer efforts at Laurel Hill Cemetery over the past three years have transformed their social media usage.

In a world of shortcuts where it’s too easy to buy a marketing list, incorporating local audiences is ever more important. Many large organizations that flaunt tens of thousands of followers, may actually have acquired lists comprised of non-active social media profiles from cities –or countries—unrelated to their mission.

Matthew Ray, Principal and Partner at ChatterBlast - an online strategy and social media marketing company in Philadelphia- stresses the importance of quality not quantity: “Don't worry about how many friends you have; make sure they’re active.”

Successful arts and culture organizations will even incorporate their social media audiences into more traditional marketing plans.

“I segment our email lists just like you would a direct mail campaign,” says Elyse Pointsett, Director of Marketing and Special Events at the Rosenbach Museum & Library.

By discerning different lists of audience members, Pointsett can effectively communicate with them via social media and online marketing.

“I send an average of five email blasts for each event,” continues Pointsett.

Philly Makes Art via Social Media Social media is predominately used as a communication tool, but it can also be a means to create art.

Kendra Lawton, Director of Programs & Planning, and Karim Olaechea, Public Relations Manager, of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance observe an increase in Philadelphia organizations creating art through social media.

Mural Arts Program and First Person Arts have partnered to create the “Peace is Haiku Song” project with Sonia Sanchez where anyone can share haikus that will be incorporated in murals across city. People can submit their haikus on Twitter or a dedicated webpage.

New Paradise Laboratories currently has two projects online: “Extremely Public Displays of Privacy” and “Fatebook,” both of which transcend cyberspace to involve live performance in what Artistic Director Whit MacLaughlin calls, “social media embedded into theater.”

These original works of theater use social media as part of the stage. During the first four days “Extremely Public Displays of Privacy” was live, 5,000 people saw it online. Social media has influenced how MacLaughlin creates art and subsequently he is changing the manner in which theater is produced.

“Now we have web developers as a part of all production meetings,” says MacLaughlin.

“One of the coolest things in Philadelphia [on social media] is the “Check in to a Masterpiece” on FourSquare as part of the WithArt Campaign,” according to Olaechae of the Cultural Alliance, “We believe this is unprecedented and that this is the first of its kind in the country.”

“Check in to a Masterpiece” allows people to virtually check in at 12 works of art in Philadelphia. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation is even holding a contest for participants who broadcast their check-in via Twitter using the hashtag #WithArtPHL. Philly Raises Funds and Awareness through Social Media Crowd-sourcing and micro-giving are huge trends now in the nonprofit sector, and Philadelphia arts and culture organizations are right there benefiting from them.

By motivating their networks to vote for them in funding contests, organizations such as the Community Education Center in West Philly are raising funds. Last year the Community Education Center (CEC) won the Maxwell House Drops of Good Challenge; by receiving the most “likes” of qualified community centers, the CEC won $50,000 to remodel the Center on 3500 Lancaster Ave. Before Flying Kite wrote about them last April, CEC was fifth in the running.

To create the How Philly Moves mural, an extraordinary and vibrant new work of community-based public art by photographer JJ Tiziou on the parking decks facing Interstate 95 at the airport, Tiziou used Kickstarter to raise $26,271 of a $25,000 goal.

Most of the money came from donations under $250; smaller donations from more donors built the awareness of the project tremendously. The project has since been recognized as one of the nation’s best public art projects by Americans for the Arts in their 2012 Public Art Network Year in Review.

Utilizing analytics and evaluation techniques puts successful organizations ahead of the rest.

“Facebook Insights allows us to gauge what to post more of,” explains Alexis Jeffcoat about how the Laurel Hill Cemetery Facebook page has acquired so many friends who interact with their posts.

Using Facebook Insights also helps Laurel Hill Cemetery build partnerships: “We can tell people to see how well our Facebook [page] is doing,” says Jeffcoat.

Philly keeps up with trends, research and strategy “Press releases are now read more off of Twitter than mail or faxes,” explains Matthew Ray, Principal and Partner at ChatterBlast Media, about the importance of keeping up with communication trends.

“The first thing we recommend to organizations it that they develop a strategy before they start anything or at least move in massively [on social media],” explains Ray. “It should be considered as important as their marketing plan.”

The Rosenbach Museum & Library’s social media goal is to be a cultural resource for its followers. Their “feel,” therefore, is interesting and quirky -- much like their founders.

They tend to use social media for a lot of project-specific goals and so follow a trend of creating avatars for different subjects. “TodayInTheCW” on Twitter and Facebook, for example, is the handle for the Rosenbach’s Civil War blog.

“I find that sub-branding our social media profiles works well, because it’s easier to start fresh than steer the tone,” says Pointsett.

Which social media platforms organizations use are just as important as how they brand their online image.

“What’s the message you’re sending and how are you sending it?” says Ray. “I explain to clients that if you had a TV commercial, you wouldn’t just take that audio and give it to KYW to play on the radio.”

Ray explains that for a university client he would recommend they use Tumblr for admissions because it’s highly an under-18 audience, but use LinkedIn for alumni and development purposes, as it’s a professional networking site. The goal is to tailor the content to that audience and social media platform.

Thanks to workshops provided by the Pew Center of Arts and Heritage, the Greater Philadelphia Culture Alliance and other service organizations, Philadelphia arts and culture organizations have access to cutting-edge research and strategies for social media usage.

You can keep up on social media news by utilizing these resources: Mashable, TechCrunch, Social Media Today, Social Times, Mobile Marketing Watch, All Facebook, About Foursquare, Nonprofit Tech 2.0, TechSoup, and NTEN. RACHEL DUKEMAN is Managing Director of Plays & Players in Philadelpiha and is a cultural marketer and planner throughout the region. Send feedback here.

http://www.mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2012/08/03/main_line_suburban_life/life/doc501beb1d7b6cc 772782612.txt

Summer Breezin' fundraiser on Aug. 3 to support the 4th Annual Paoli Blues Fest Editor August 03, 2012

PAOLI – In four short years, the Paoli Blues Fest has grown to become the largest annual blues festival in the Philadelphia region. The date for the fourth annual blues festival is Saturday, Oct. 6, and Blues Fest co-chairs Pattye Benson and Marie Thibault are expecting attendance to exceed the 2011 visitor estimate of 15,000. The Blues Fest Committee works year-round to make sure that each year the Blues Fest is bigger and better than the year before, and this year will be no exception.

The free annual community event requires many hardworking volunteers plus lots of money. Each year, the nonprofit organization needs to raise about $50K to fund the one-day Paoli Blues Fest. Without the support and generosity of corporate and business sponsors, such as Paoli Hospital, Malvern Federal Bank, Paoli Village Shoppes and WXPN, and grants from the PA Council of the Arts, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and Brandywine Conference & Visitors Bureau, the annual event would not be possible.

Guaranteeing the continued success of the Paoli Blues Fest also requires the help of individuals in the community. The second of two summer fundraisers, Summer Breezin’ is Friday, Aug. 3, 5-8 p.m. at the Royer-Greaves School, 118 S. Valley Road, Paoli. The school provides the perfect outdoor venue for the sounds of the Rob Dickenson Trio as you sip cold drinks and munch on appetizers. Enjoy the timeless music of Jimmy Buffett, sway to the reggae sounds of Bob Marley and sing along to classic “oldies” that are sure to have you on your feet.

The fundraiser will feature a silent auction with many exciting items including gift certificates for many local businesses and restaurants, Phillies tickets, signed baseball memorabilia and personal tours of the State Senate Chamber with Sen. Andy Dinniman and the State House with Rep. Warren Kampf.

Dress is summer casual; tickets are $35 or 4 for $100 and may be purchased online at www.paolibluesfest.com. For questions, contact Pattye Benson, Summer Breezin’ cochair: 610-644-6759.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/print-edition/2012/08/03/changing-its-strategy.html?s=print

Changing its strategy Jewish history museum cuts staff, creates 5-year plan Peter Van Allen August 3, 2012

A prominent museum is making some strategic changes to realign with its new outlook.

The National Museum of American Jewish History, which has struggled to build its attendance in the less than two years since opening, recently laid off seven employees, or about 12 percent of its staff, said CEO Ivy L. Barsky.

Barsky, who took over the top spot on July 1, is completing a five-year strategic plan that she hopes will lead the $137 million, 100,000-square-foot museum to a more austere, more realistic future.

“We’re in the process of crossing the T’s on our vision for the next five years in these challenging times,” said Barsky. “It’s a really ambitious vision that calls for being a preeminent national museum creatively telling about American history through the Jewish lens.”

Challenging times have affected more than the NMAJH. Nationwide, about 13 percent of the museums surveyed by the American Association of Museums said they’d laid off some staff and 28 percent said they’d frozen hiring, according to a report released in April.

Earlier this summer, Kimmel Center Inc., which runs the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, cut seven people from its staff, citing concessions for its cash-strapped resident companies and a “dramatic reduction” in state funding, from $1.3 million a year to $153,000.

Even if organizations are seeing increases in attendance, those gains often aren’t paying off on the bottom line. “The economic cycle for nonprofits tends to lag the commercial sector, so we’re still seeing residual effects of the recession hitting arts and culture, even with attendance rising,” said Tom Kaiden, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

Stephan M. Rosenfeld, a consultant at ID Advisors in Center City, cited the strain on the usual sources of funding, from government agencies to foundations.

“Part of the problem is everybody is seemingly fishing in the same pond for donors/sponsors — private, corporate, foundation and government,” Rosenfeld said.

“It is the case that nonprofits are still facing a tough economy where development is a challenge due to diminished resources and attendance is hindered by the lack of disposable income,” Larry Ceisler, principal at Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy in Center City, added.

And employees at arts-and-cultural organizations remain wary of potential cost cutting.

Laura Otten, executive director of the Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University, said she’s still hearing a lot of talk about the possibility of layoffs.

“I’m hearing less of it happening and more of the anticipation of it happening. And absolutely, folks are definitely feeling the cutbacks,” she said.

Staff reductions at the NMAJH cut across staff lines, said Barsky, who previously served as chief operating officer at the museum. But she said the staff cuts are a result of changes in the strategic plan and “not for cost saving.”

“I have been very mindful about the budget and [asking], ‘What can we fund?’ We are being fiscally conservative, careful and mindful,” she said. “It’s an austerity budget. On the other hand, we’re also trying to get [the name] out there.”

Barsky takes over from opening-day CEO Michael Rosenzweig, a former Johns Manville executive who led the museum from 2009 (before its opening) until his resignation this spring.

Rosenzweig helped the museum reach its capital campaign goal of $155 million.

But the museum has failed to bring in the audience it projected.

In an interview shortly before the museum opened in fall 2010, Rosenzweig said the institution expected attendance of 250,000 for each of the first few years.

It never came close to that figure. Last year, its first full year of operations, the NMAJH had 126,273 visitors. For this year, Barsky said the museum is on pace to improve on that number.

“We expect a slight uptick from that,” she said. “Things are trending in the right direction.”

Its attendance numbers, along with about a dozen other hospitality and arts attractions, had been published in a monthly report produced by PKF Consulting of Center City.

However, two months ago, the museum made the decision to stop reporting the numbers publicly, PKF said.

Its smaller-than-expected attendance means less earned income, and has forced the institution to scale back expenses like salaries.

The first CEO, Rosenzweig, earned $434,515 a year. In the simplest terms, each of last year’s visitors would have paid roughly $3.40 toward his salary. (Admission is $12 for adults and $11 for seniors and youth 13 to 21.)

By comparison, CEO David Eisner at the National Constitution Center, which had 817,227 visitors last year, earned $429,310. Dennis Wint, CEO of the Franklin Institute, which last year had 845,272 visitors, had total compensation of $437,455.

In the most recent tax document, the museum’s three highest-paid executives made $914,626, according to GuideStar.org. Barsky was not among them, and she said salaries have been revised downward to reflect the museum’s smaller scale.

“Yes, we’re aligning them to the size and scope of the organization,” she said.

“Compensation doesn’t always have to do with attendance. Getting people through the door is only one metric. I can’t speak to the board [decisions] or the compensation of a former president.”

Going forward, Barsky said the museum will hire a marketing person to better get the word out. The museum also devoted resources to an advertising campaign. It is already doing transit ads and banners at the Independence Visitor Center across Independence Mall.

It recently opened an exhibit featuring a letter from George Washington, “To Bigotry No Sanction,” asserting the rights of all citizens, including Jews.

In January, the museum will open an exhibition, “Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges,” that originated at Barsky’s former museum, the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.

To help promote the exhibit, NMAJH will work with the African American Museum of Philadelphia, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Operation Understanding and religious organizations.

Future exhibits will include “Chasing Dreams,” an exploration of the role baseball has played in the lives of Jews.

“We’re deepening engagements with donors and friends to reach their hearts as well as their heads,” Barsky said.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer_news/study-calls-for-creation-of-montco-arts-andcultural-agency/article_fb8410c2-67c3-52c3-a146-635bb9f603ac.html

Margaret Gibbons August 1, 2012

Who sez Montgomery County gots no culture and arts?

“Despite what some may think, Montgomery County is not a suburban wasteland when it comes to culture, arts and a creative economy,” said Laura Burnham, the director of the Abington Art Center.

The county’s creative economy, which includes museums, zoos, libraries, art centers, historical sites and even manufacturing industries that are based on creative design such as K’NEX in Hatfield Township or Knoll Furniture in East Greenville, generates almost 37,000 jobs, said Burnham. This is equal to 6.2 percent of employment in the county, she said.

The county also is home for some 380 nonprofit organizations that identify themselves as providing arts and culture.

However, Burnham said, the county does not get the recognition it should for all these activities and programs.

Part of the problem, she said, is that there is no umbrella organization drawing attention to these achievements.

“Montgomery County does not have a singular voice during regional and state discussions on the financing of the arts and culture,” said Burnham.

The development of a central county coordinating agency to increase and leverage resources is particularly important in these straitened economic times, said Burnham.

That is one of the recommendations contained in a draft 10-year master plan titled Creative MontCo that is designed to unify and grow the county’s culture and arts community.

The plan, county officials emphasized, is not a “county” plan. Instead, it was generated by an initiative that included a collaboration among organizations such as the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the county community college, the county and various grassroots’ arts and cultural organizations. The plan was funded, in part, by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.

“This plan can serve as a good revitalization tool, a quality of life tool,” said planning commission Director Steven L. Nelson.

One of the major questions that members of the county planning commission had, after receiving a peek at the draft plan earlier this month, involved the funding of the proposed agency and some of the programs proposed in the master plan.

“If we create another agency, who is going to fund it and will the county commissioners support it,” asked board member Charles J. Tornetta.

Nelson said the commissioners are aware of the study.

While the county would not fund the agency, different county departments may be asked to contribute in-kind services, according to Nelson.

The planning commission next month will be asked to officially endorse the plan at their meeting in August.

Margaret Gibbons: 610-279-6153; mgibbons@phillyBurbs.com;

http://articles.philly.com/2012-07-11/news/32619943_1_grants-anne-ewers-kimmel-center

William Penn Foundation makes $10.9 million in arts grants Stephan Salisbury July 11, 2012

The William Penn Foundation, a week after announcing it will continue to focus its grant-making activities on the region, was to announce Tuesday $10.9 million in grants designed to spur and stabilize cultural growth in and around Philadelphia.

The largest grant, $2.5 million to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, will support the Kimmel's efforts to provide rent relief for its resident companies and build additional sources of income.

A $2 million grant will pay for climate-control systems in the Franklin Institute's specialexhibition gallery on the third floor of the Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion, now under construction on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Story continues below.

Jeremy Nowak, the foundation's president, said Monday that "arts and culture will continue to be a huge [grant-making] center for the foundation." But "along with traditional arts and culture and performance organizations," the foundation will also seek to strengthen the broader environment for cultural activity.

"How we do it and how we make decisions ‌ will be more rigorous, more competitive," Nowak said. "We will be providing as much in resources for traditional arts organizations as we ever did. How we do it will be different. We want people to know we're not going anywhere."

Anne Ewers, president and chief executive of the Kimmel Center, said the William Penn money would help the Kimmel replace some of the revenue that disappeared with rent reductions granted to the center's eight resident companies over the last two years, most recently to the Philadelphia Orchestra. The money will also provide support as the Kimmel seeks to build income from its renovated garden and restaurant spaces.

"They wanted to help us during this period of transition," Ewers said.

Dennis Wint, president and chief executive of the Franklin Institute, said the foundation's $2 million would go directly to installation of climate-control systems in the new pavilion's special-exhibition space. When the 8,000-square-foot gallery is completed in 2014, he said, the institute will be able to host "larger and more complex shows" in one contiguous space.

In addition, the Franklin Institute will be able to handle exhibitions that demand stringent climate controls. In 2005, it could not host the exhibition celebrating the 300th anniversary of its own founder because relics and documents were deemed too fragile for its antiquated space. Instead, Ben Franklin's tercentenary show debuted at the National Constitution Center.

Not all the William Penn grants went to giants like the Kimmel Center and the Franklin Institute. Nowak, in fact, made a point of emphasizing that organizations of all sizes received grants.

InterAct Theatre, on Sansom Street, for instance, received $120,000 for programs and operating costs in 2013, its 25th season. Seth Rozin, the theater's producing artistic director, said William Penn had supported his organization since the late 1990s.

"They have been our largest and most consistent supporter," Rozin said, "and they have been the most responsive to our most basic needs."

The foundation also stepped outside direct support for working arts organizations to provide funding for service groups. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance received a little more than $1 million to launch its "creating change" research project.

Tom Kaiden, president of the alliance, said the project would gather information about audiences, patrons, communities, donors and business models — all with an eye toward "helping organizations within the community make smart decisions."

Other Penn grants went to the American Composers Forum, $126,500; the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, $500,000; the Print Center, $250,000; 1812 Productions, $450,000; Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, $900,000; Tempesta di Mare, $170,000; Astral Artistic Services, $82,500; Philadelphia Dance Projects, $70,000; and the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, $120,050 (toward transitioning programs and closing the current operations of the organization).

In addition, grants went to BalletX, $300,000; Christ Church Preservation Trust, $331,197; Network for New Music, $99,905; Painted Bride Art Center, $150,000; Arden Theatre, $660,000; Grantmakers in the Arts, $200,000 (toward its annual conference, to be held in Philadelphia in 2013); and the Pew Charitable Trusts, $750,000 (to support the transition of the Cultural Data Project, a collaborative project housed at Pew, into an independent nonprofit).

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/print-edition/2012/08/03/changing-its-strategy.html?s=print

The changing of the guard Christina Kristofic July 9, 2012

In the past 18 months, the leaders of six notable Doylestown institutions have retired or announced that they plan to retire.

Central Bucks Family YMCA CEO Gene Smith stepped down at the end of December 2010.

Central Bucks School District Superintendent N. Robert Laws is expected to retire before school starts in the fall. Doylestown Hospital CEO Rich Reif recently announced that he plans to retire before the end of the year.

Judge Ed Ludwig, founder and president of the Doylestown Historical Society, handed over the reins to his successor recently. Ann Silverman Community Health Clinic Executive Director Peggy Dator has announced plans to retire. And James A. Michener Art Museum Director Bruce Katsiff retired in June.

The retirements were not unexpected.

Nor were they planned to happen at the same time.

“It was coincidental,” Reif said.

“We’ve all been in our jobs for about two decades or more. We’re almost all identical in age. What’s unusual is that we all had so many years of service.”

The six leaders are part of a large group of baby boomer CEOs and executive directors across the country who are retiring or getting ready to retire.

About 75 percent of nonprofit directors who participated in a 2006 Daring to Lead survey said they planned to leave their organizations in five years — that is, right about now.

A recent survey of nonprofit leaders who held their positions for five years or more showed about one-third had already retired and another third were making plans to retire, said Caroline McAndrews, director of leadership for the Building Movement Project, a New York-based organization that helped create the survey. The Building

Movement Project works with nonprofits to help promote social change and healthy transitions in leadership.

McAndrews said she thinks the boomer leaders, many of whom also indicated in the survey that they want to continue to do mission-driven work after they retire, are looking for less responsibility.

“The job is overwhelming. The responsibilities are overwhelming,” she said. It feels more so when there’s a significant shift in the economy, technology or health care.

Tom Kaiden, president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, said it’s also possible that many of the leaders were ready to retire a few years ago, but stayed because of the recession.

“I think a lot of people were determined to provide stability during a time of external turbulence,” he said. “There’s greater stability now and greater public optimism. I think we’re seeing at all levels of organizations, changes in leadership and management as people are comfortable making those changes and not feeling like their organizations or own careers are at risk.”

Each local leader had his or her own reasons for retiring: Smith told the newspaper in 2010 that he wanted to spend more time with his family. Ludwig has said he’s looking for a little less responsibility, though he remains active with the historical society. Katsiff, a photographer, said he’s ready to focus on his own art.

Reif, 66, said he wanted to retire four years ago, but decided to stay to see Doylestown Hospital through the expansion of its emergency department. He said he’s looking forward to spending time with his infant grandson and traveling.

McAndrews hasn’t heard of so many organization leaders in one community retiring within a couple years of each other. But, she said, “I’m sure it’s happening in other communities.”

It’s hard to say what the retirements mean for the Doylestown community. McAndrews said it depends on how well the organizations prepared for their succession, whether the retiring leaders will stay around to offer guidance and how the new leaders treat their positions.

One thing is certain: Many in the community will miss these local stewards.

“All of these organizations have touched everybody,” Doylestown Township Supervisor Chairwoman Barbara Lyons said. “(The leaders) continued the rich cultural heritage and historical heritage that was already in place and added to it, expanded it and made it more accessible.”

Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Vail Garvin said Doylestown has been very fortunate to have each of the men and women lead one of its organizations.

“There wouldn’t be a historical society if it were not for Judge Ludwig,” Garvin said.

And Smith took the Y “from a sleepy YMCA to a vibrant, dynamic YMCA that all of Doylestown enjoys.”

Katsiff basically built the Michener Museum’s collection. It had only 115 objects when he became director; it now has more than 2,500. Garvin said, “He is to be commended for what he did in bringing the Uffizi (exhibition) here. Nobody but Bruce Katsiff could make that happen.”

Garvin said Laws built the school district up to become one of the best in the country and the reason many people want to move to Central Bucks.

And Reif “has done the most incredible job in increasing the quality of patient care, growing the services the hospital offers and helping to make our local community and the entire county healthier.”

With the retirements of these leaders, each organization loses a couple decades of institutional memory. But each organization also gains the opportunity to look at things in a new way and try new things.

Each of the new leaders will “have new ideas and new connections,” Bruce Katsiff said.

“They’ll, I expect, move these institutions in different directions. That’s all positive.”

McAndrews, of the Building Movement Project, said many of the people in the generation now assuming leadership take a different approach to their work than the previous generation.

“Collaboration almost comes naturally” to members of generations X and Y, McAndrews said. “That’s just the way that young generation tends to work. Their coming in more of a strapped time and money has been harder to come by, so collaborations almost are becoming necessary.

Community leaders hope McAndrews is right.

Lyons and Doylestown Council President Det Ansinn said they hope the new leaders take the time to learn about the Doylestown community and its traditions.

CB Cares Executive Director Kimberly Cambra said she hopes the new leaders develop a commitment to the community. And Doylestown Business and Community Alliance President Rich Slabinski said he’d like to see that commitment translate into action.

“I’d like to see (the new leaders) look outside their own groups, look at the other groups, utilize the DBCA and the chamber, and get involved,” he said.

“We’re all out here to do the same thing. We’re out here to help the community. So let’s do that together.” Ansinn and Garvin said new Central Bucks Family YMCA Director Zane Moore is a good example of a new leader with a different perspective who is bringing more to the Y. “He is a great man. And he’s got tremendous ideas to lead the Y forward,” Garvin said.

Stu Abramson already is leading the Doylestown Historical Society. And The Michener Museum’s new director, Lisa Tremper Hanover, starts Monday.

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/karen_heller/20120704_Karen_Heller__Pragmatic_visions_and_m utual_relationships_necessary_for_Philadelphia_cultural_institutions_to_stay_afloat.html

Pragmatic visions and mutual relationships necessary for Philadelphia cultural institutions to stay afloat Karen Heller July 4, 2012

Almost two decades ago, America went on a cultural building spree, constructing or expanding an extraordinary number of museums, theaters, and performing arts centers - more than $16 billion worth between 1994 and 2008, an artistic Manifest Destiny.

Philadelphia was not immune, erecting 13 projects, some of them massive, with several more in blueprints.

But this artistic me-tooism, with so many cities hoping to create a domestic Bilbao, didn't turn out as imagined, according to a just-released major study, "Set in Stone."

Civic leaders confused desire with need and economic growth with cultural demand, the University of Chicago's Cultural Policy Center report states, "based on the assumption that a new facility would help increase audience size, increase earned and donated income." Instead, due to cost overruns and reduced income, contraction and layoffs often followed. Organizations failed to anticipate an economic downturn - Note: Always anticipate an economic downturn - or develop an endowment and a clear artistic mission.

"We would ask organizations, 'Whom do you consider being your competitor?' " says one of the study's authors, Joanna Woronkowicz. "And time and time again, we heard responses that were akin to, 'Our organization is unique. We don't have any competitors.' " The study doesn't cite specific Philadelphia examples of what goes awry, but there are plenty. The Kimmel Center opened on a Field of Dreams principle. The Rafael Vi単oly building was designed to be a major cultural and architectural attraction, but has struggled to attract patrons and donors, often competing for fund-raising with its principal tenant, the Philadelphia Orchestra (which just emerged from bankruptcy). At the same time, it failed to deliver until recently on excellent acoustics, a principal objective of any musical forum.

Strong, consistent, even autocratic leadership helps, the study argues. Despite huge average cost overruns that nearly doubled construction budgets, theater-building projects occupied by a single company tended to enjoy the greatest financial success due to a unified vision. When organizations flounder and have unwieldy boards,

consistency is rare. Some Philadelphia institutions shed top executives at alarming rates. The Kimmel Center is now on its sixth chief.

Economic growth and population increase aren't as critical to a cultural organization's fiscal well-being as are employment patterns and regional demographics. Any region has only so many cultural dollars. Younger patrons may be more drawn to less expensive programming. The Fringe Festival is an unqualified success and it hasn't erected a single shed. The cultural event of last year was arguably the International Festival of the Arts' free closing street fair, which showcased French aerial acrobats and attracted almost 200,000 celebrants right outside the Kimmel.

Six years after its dedication, in a desperate grab for visitors, the National Constitution Center hosted an exhibit honoring Princess Diana, royalty being the polar opposite of the Constitution, the impetus for the nation's founding. During the last three years, attendance has dropped 20 percent. Now, the center is home to a Springsteen show, better than monarchy though still an odd thematic fit, and pricey, almost $25 to visit along with the permanent collection. Yards away is the National Museum of American Jewish History, which opened in 2010, so overconfident in original attendance projections that reality forced administrators to whack their vision in half.

Despite institutions' claims of being without competition, "in Philadelphia, we noted that there were so many cultural institutions located next door to the other," says the report's Woronkowicz. They cannibalize each other for attendance and fund-raising dollars.

With good planning and strong relationships, neighboring institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the new Barnes will enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship in attracting visitors and ongoing support.

"We're working with cultural institutions to clearly define their unique value," says Philadelphia Cultural Alliance president Tom Kaiden. "We've had attendance growth during the recession, which is not true of other parts of the country, though some of this is linked to the increase in supply."

Institutions learned the hard way that they need to raise operating revenue. "It's sexier to invest in the building than to invest in the building's electricity and plumbing," Kaiden notes. "If we're good, we learn from experience. We learn from mistakes, and we learn how we can do things differently."

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/the-feed/item/40194-10-area-cultural-organizations-get-21-millionfrom-pew

10 area cultural organizations get $2.1 million from Pew Shannon McDonald June 18, 2012

In an effort to keep the area's high-performing cultural organizations at their best, Pew has announced $2.1 million in funding for 10 local arts, theater and nature organizations.

The Arden Theatre Company, Art Reach, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, John J. Tyler Arboretum, Main Line Art Center, Opera Company of Philadelphia, People’s Light and Theatre Company, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Philadelphia Young Playwrights and Wilma Theater will share the money as Pew’s Philadelphia Cultural Leadership Program 2012 recipients.

The largest grant will go to the Opera Company of Philadelphia, which will receive $750,000. Pew's been giving the PCLP grants since 1997, and has awarded more than 200 of them to date.

Together, the 2012 recipients generate more than $10 million a year.

http://blog.phillycreativeguide.com/2012/06/professional-development-programs-at-the-greater-philacultural-alliance/

Professional Development Programs at the Greater Phila.

Cultural Alliance Editor June 7, 2012

Interested in furthering your career in the nonprofit arts or cultural organization field?

The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance offers professional development opportunities to its members and the public in the form of Workshops and Seminars, Breakfast Research Clubs, and the Engage 2020 Leadership Programs. These programs and events are designed to examine important issues that nonprofit arts and culture organizations face and to offer the opportunity to learn about new strategies and cutting edge trends from marketing professionals and national experts.

Get the scoop and register at http://www.philaculture.org/programs/professionaldevelopment. Learn more about the GPCA at http://www.philaculture.org/about.

http://artinfo.com/news/story/806479/donna-summer-paintings-are-hot-stuff-chelsea-gallery-tower-warswith-condos-and-more-must-read-art-news

Donna Summer Paintings Are Hot Stuff, Chelsea Gallery Tower Wars With Condos, and More Must-Read Art News Editor May 30, 2012

— The Donna Summer Art Boom: The Jack Gallery in Las Vegas wasted no time jacking up the prices for the late Disco Queen's lithographs, which are now selling for almost twice their original price of $550. The gallery, which is currently planning a memorial exhibition for Summer, says demand has been high since her untimely death earlier this month. The most popular work? "Winter Melody," an image of bluemascaraed eyes and a blue mouth floating in space, named for the singer's 1976 single.

[TMZ, Jack Gallery] […]

— Philly Already Feeling the Barnes Effect: Less than two weeks after the Barnes Foundation's reopening in Center City Philadelphia, an annual survey of the city's cultural organizations suggests that its arts institutions are recovering from the recession and donation drought that had limited exhibitions and programing since 2007. "This recovery is a testament both to how organizations have restructured and how Philadelphians have placed a high value on culture in their communities," said Tom Kaiden, president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

— World-Class Collection Lands in South Dakota: Art conservator and collector Neil Cockerline — formerly of Minneapolis's Midwest Art Conservation Center — has elected to donate his 500-piece collection to the South Dakota Art Museum in Brookings, bestowing on the small regional museum a treasure trove including works by Warhol, Rauschenberg, Motherwell, Matisse, Jim Dine, and Robert Indiana that will go on view next year. "I chose to donate this collection to the South Dakota Art Museum," Cockerline said, "because [...] they have a reputation of professionalism and a commitment to preservation.” [Kekoland] VIDEO OF THE DAY See time-lapse video of the construction of the new Barnes Foundation in Philly (or read ARTINFO's review of the new space, here):

http://articles.philly.com/2012-05-24/news/31839435_1_organizations-survey-cultural-groups

Survey says the Philadelphia region’s cultural picture is brighter Stephan Salisbury May 24, 2012

The region’s cultural organizations are showing signs of recovery from the fiscal crisis and deep recession that began in 2007, according to an annual survey conducted by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

Individual giving is up, foundation support is up, earned income is up, and even some hiring is under way, the survey shows.

“This recovery is a testament both to how organizations have restructured and how Philadelphians have placed a high value on culture in their communities,” Tom Kaiden, alliance president, said in a statement. “These are positive indicators not just for cultural groups but for the region as a whole.”

Alliance officials report that 43 percent of the organizations polled said that ticket sales, subscriptions, and memberships were up in March 2012, compared to October 2010, when 33 percent reported increased ticket sales and only 20 percent reported increased subscriptions and memberships.

Individual contributions are up significantly, with 51 percent of the organizations reporting increases in such giving, compared with 38 percent reporting increases from individuals in October 2010. Individual giving has proven a mainstay for arts organizations since the recession, the cultural alliance said. More than 80 percent of polled organizations — with annual budgets ranging from $25,000 to $10,000,000 — reported growing or stable giving by individuals.

About 36 percent of surveyed groups reported declines in government support (49 percent reported declines in 2010).

On the employment front, a lower percentage of organizations reported staff reductions (19 percent versus 26 percent in 2010). About 33 percent of organizations surveyed reported that they have either restored staff positions or are increasing staff in 2012 (The question was not asked in 2010).

Less than a quarter of the organizations said they expect a deficit at the end of their current fiscal year (23 percent compared with 32 percent in 2010).

The slowly improving economic situation prompted 40 percent of cultural leaders to say things will get better (up from 32 percent in 2010).

That said, only 15 percent of organizations reported they had cash available to cover six months of expenses, whereas a quarter of surveyed groups reported adequate cash reserves in 2010.

The poll sampled 102 organizations representing a wide range of disciplines and budget sizes. The next survey will be conducted in about a year.

Contact Stephan Salisbury at 215-854-5594 or e-mail at ssalisbury@phillynews.com, or on Twitter @SPSalisbury.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/blog/peter-van-allen/2012/05/philadelphias-culturalgroups.html

Philadelphia’s cultural groups recovering but finances still fragile Peter Van Allen May 24, 2012

Philadelphia’s arts-and-cultural groups are showing signs of recovery from the recession, according to a report released Wednesday.

Higher income, increased attendance and subscriptions and an expansion of programming were just a few of the signs of improvement, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s annual Portfolio reported.

“This recovery is a testament both to how organizations have restructured and how Philadelphians have placed a high value on culture in their communities,” said Tom Kaiden, president of the Cultural Alliance, which has 400 member institutions. “These are positive indicators not just for cultural groups but for the region as a whole.”

Its report was based on a survey conducted this spring.

The report said finances at many institutions are still fragile. Decreases in government support and operating deficits remain concerns.

To read the full report

http://www.philebrity.com/2012/05/23/and-now-todays-good-news-the-cultures-are-alright/

And Now, Today’s GOOD NEWS: The Cultures Are Alright Editor May 23, 2012

Perpetual bearers of good news The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance conducted a survey of cultural organizations this spring. And what does the survey show? Since the last survey in 2010, “more organizations reported higher income, both contributed and earned … [and] four out of five groups also reported expansions in programming or plans to increase programming in the near future.” Or, in longer form: >>>>A higher percentage of cultural organizations report increases in both Single Ticket Sales and Subscriptions & Memberships in March 2012 compared to October 2010 – 43% report increasing Single Ticket Sales (compared to 33% in 2010) and 32% report increased Subscriptions & Memberships (compared to 20% in 2010). >>>Compared to 2010, a higher percentage of cultural organizations report increases in Foundation Support (46% vs. 23%), Corporate Support (24% vs. 13%) and Individual Giving (51% vs. 38%). >>>A higher percentage of organizations report that they have increased programming within the last 12 months (40% in 2012 vs. 35% in 2010) or plan to do so within the next 12 months (38% in 2012 vs. 29% in 2010). >>>92% of organizations report stable or increased Individual Giving. More than half (51%) report increased Individual Giving. >>>92% of organizations also report stable or increased Investment Income, with the majority of organizations (57%) reporting stable income. >>>A lower percentage of organizations report reducing staff size or shrinking hours for staff in the last 12 months in 2012 than in 2010 (26% vs. 19%). >>>33% of organizations report that they either have restored cut staff positions or are increasing staff in 2012 (question not asked in 2010). >>>40% of cultural leaders say things will get better (up from 32% in 2010).

Well, that’s all sounding pretty great. The survey will be conducted again next spring, and you can read the whole report over here.

So there you have it: The world is not totally made of shit. Have you got some good news? If so, send it to tips[at]philebrity[dot]com with “GOOD MOTHERFUCKING NEWS!” in the subject header — we’d love to hear about it.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/stage-set-for-new-arts-and-cultureprogram/article_872a1343-3343-561f-9535-ec5157efbc0a.html

Stage set for new arts and culture program James McGinnis May 21, 2012

Props, period furniture and power tools fill a former paper mill at the Riverside Industrial Complex in Bristol Township. Dreams are strewn together of plastic, plywood, glue and nails in the new scene construction shop for Bristol Riverside Theater.

Funded in part through an $85,000 loan from Bucks County government, the scene shop could soon allow the theater company to host twice as many shows, injecting $1.7 million into the local economy, officials estimated. Commissioner Robert Loughery said it could also be the first step toward a revolving loan program for arts and cultural destinations in Bucks County. The county commissioners approved a five-year, zerointerest loan for the theater company during their meeting last week.

“Tourism is a huge part of our economy in Bucks,” said Loughery. “We’ve done a lot for the Michener and Mercer (museums) out there. This would be more for your bricks and sticks – those things you can’t always get funding for.”

With the new financing, Bristol Riverside Theater is “essentially moving from a theater company into more of a performing arts center,” said Amy Kaissar, managing director.

“It’s all about eliminating downtime.”

Without a stage shop, many theater set pieces were constructed on the theater floor or in its rehearsal room, said Kaissar.

“We typically have five to six weeks downtime between shows,” she added. “So, this is essentially adding 15 weeks to our schedule.”

In an appeal to the county commissioners, Kaissar cited estimates of the economic impact.

For every ticket purchased, theater patrons spend an average of $25 on other items or services, according to the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. Theater patrons visiting from outside the region can spend as much as $67 per person, according to the GPCA. More shows also mean more jobs for actors, carpenters and musicians, Kaissar noted.

With the addition of 15 weeks of performances next year, Bristol Riverside Theater estimates it will employ about 45 more people at various times.

Bristol Riverside is Bucks’ only professional theater company, having celebrated its 25th anniversary last fall. The stage is currently set for the musical “Rent”, which runs through June 3. On June 16 and 17, the theater hosts a “One-Man Star Wars Trilogy,” which Spin Magazine hailed as “funnier than you could possibly imagine.” The scene shop will soon begin construction of set pieces for David Mamet’s “Oleanna,” which opens Sept. 25. County loans could also be available for other arts and cultural attractions in Bucks, Loughery said.

He encouraged interested companies and nonprofits to contact Vitor Vicente, community and business development director for the county, at 215-345-3844.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/business/media/ads-ask-you-to-picture-philadelphia-as-an-art-destinationcampaign-spotlight.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Ads Ask You to ‘Picture’ Philadelphia as an Art Destination Stuart Elliott May 21, 2012

The campaign began last week, timed to the opening on Saturday of the museum, the Barnes Foundation, in a $150 million building in Center City Philadelphia after decades in the nearby suburb of Merion, Pa. The campaign plays up the new location of the Barnes on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, near institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Rodin Museum, as well as other attractions in the City of Brotherly Love.

The goal of the campaign is to establish Philadelphia as a destination for art buffs the way it is for history buffs. The campaign carries the theme “With art Philadelphia,” echoing “With love, Philadelphia,” the longtime theme of ads from the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

The three words of the theme appear on a logo for the campaign, depicting three pins of the type visitors to museums receive to affix to their lapels. (It took some doing to squeeze “Philadelphia” onto a lapel pin; the letters are stacked to read “Phil/Adel/Phia.”)

Five agencies are collaborating on the campaign, which includes traditional media like magazine ads and transit posters along with online ads, social media and public relations. The social media elements include a feature on Foursquare that lets users “check into a masterpiece” rather than a venue or event.

The campaign, with a budget estimated at $2 million over the next two years, is being sponsored by the tourism marketing organization and more than a dozen other organizations, associations, foundations and institutions.

They include the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the State of Pennsylvania, the Barnes, three other museums and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

The goal of “With art Philadelphia” is to promote the city as a destination for those who love the visual arts. (“Philadelphia is for art lovers” would probably have been deemed too similar to the long-running “Virginia is for lovers” campaign, which promotes tourism in Virginia.)

The centerpiece of the campaign is the Web site withart.visitphilly.com, which invites potential visitors to “Curate your own experience” from, among other attractions, museums, exhibitions, tours and artworks.

“Philadelphia is one of the world’s great art destinations,” text on the Web site begins, “with incomparable art institutions, priceless artworks and one of the largest collections of public art in the country.”

“Browse the new Barnes Foundation Philadelphia campus and the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the culturally rich Benjamin Franklin Parkway,” the text continues, “and discover incredible public gardens, world-class museums and more.”

The Web site also calls the parkway “the most artistic mile in the country,” seeking to create an image of a “museum mile” or “museum row” in Center City Philadelphia to draw visitors who would like more than one or two art experiences when they travel.

Last summer, recalls Meryl Levitz, president and chief executive of the Philadelphia tourism marketing organization, the leaders of the Barnes, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and a third institution, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, sought a meeting with her organization and city officials.

They said that “the opening of the Barnes shouldn’t be the finish line,” Ms. Levitz says.

“It should be the open door” — in other words, after the Barnes opened, they wanted to “keep the momentum going.”

“So we formed a collaborative, for the first time,” she adds, and decided that “the essentials” of the campaign would include “one logo, one tag line, one Web site,” to make it easier to woo visitors who may be interested in the visual arts attractions in Philadelphia.

The ads that are part of the “With art Philadelphia” campaign will “have an entirely different tone and tenor,” Ms. Levitz says, from the ads that are part of the “With love, Philadelphia” campaign, although in some instances ads will carry both themes.

The “Curate your own experience” aspect of the campaign “is based on what our Philadelphia brand is: independence,” she adds, meaning that it is “not limited by a set of walls” in any one attraction. […]