Federal funding for non-profit arts and culture organizations in Greater Philadelphia has declined by 72 percent according to a recent study by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. The changing funding landscape and the global recession have taken quite a toll on a sector that produces $1.2 billion in revenue for the region.
But help, in the form of $1 million in National Endowment for the Arts Stimulus Grants, is on the way. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance received $250,000 to distribute to eligible arts groups impacted by the economy (deadline to apply is July 24). Twenty other arts groups in Philadelphia will receive an additional $800,000 and two suburban arts groups will receive $75,000 as part of the $50 million federal stimulus package being allocated by the NEA in support of job recovery programs for non-profit and local and state public arts agencies.
“Given the importance of the arts to our regional economy and the extremely competitive nature of the NEA stimulus grant process, we are pleased to bring this help to our region,” says Cultural Alliance president Peggy Amsterdam, whose organization leads 375 non-profit arts and cultural organizations in the region and aims to make Greater Philadelphia the foremost creative region in the world.
Throughout the state, 32 groups received nearly $1.5 million, including the Arden Theater Company in Philadelphia ($50,000), the Bloomsburg Theater Ensemble ($25,000), Erie Philharmonic ($25,000) and Allentown Art Museum ($50,000).
“Like jobs in other industries, many jobs in the arts are currently at risk due to the economic downturn,” says Gary Steuer, Chief Cultural Officer for the City. “This grant program will both protect our arts sector and stimulate our local economy.”
Source: Peggy Amsterdam, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance; Gary Steuer, City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
Writer: Joe Petrucci