At first glance, NxtUp Philly is nothing more than a website conceived by a group of stakeholders connecting more than 300 artistic and innovative programs in Philadelphia over 12 days in early October. But that’s precisely the point–shining a light on the region’s creative economy will only strengthen it.
“It’s about innovative thinking, period,” says Josette Bonafino, a NxtUp Philly board member and executive director for the Multicultural Youth eXchange, a non-profit she founded in 2002 to promote cultural diversity among children through the arts.
“We’re trying to position Philly as a Mecca of creative stuff. If there’s something creative happening in this city we want people to share it with the public.”
NxtUp Philly was only conceived this summer by people like Bonafino, her husband and senior fellow in the Corzo Center for the Creative Economy at the University of the Arts, Neil Kleinman, and DesignPhiladelphia founder and director Jay Hilary. The Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit, held in Philadelphia on Oct. 5-6 highlights the 12-day programming, but there’s plenty more: programs on arts education, design workshops, and forums for creative entrepreneurs.
For Bonafino, whose organization also facilitates student travel experiences to foreign countries, NxtUp Philly will offer a chance to meet other like-minded people who could be potential partners or resources.
“Any time you have a cross -pollination of ideas, there’s both social and economic implications, and that filters down to building a better social fabric to the city and building a stronger economy,” says Bonafino.
Source: Josette Bonafino, Multicultural Youth Exchange
Writer: Joe Petrucci