Moore College in Philadelphia - Group Five

The Big Canvas - July 30, 2008

The nine members of this group are Philadelphia city residents. Some are longtime citizens (40+ years), others moved to the city in more recent years. All are active in the arts: two are self-described artists, one is a Moore College administrator, the remaining six are arts-and-culture patrons. Several favorite institutions and organizations were mentioned by name: The Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Kimmel Center, and the Philadelphia Latino Art Community. Moderators Brigit Lawrence-Gomez, Patrick O’Bannon and Chris Satullo

For what do people use arts and culture?

Entertainment, enrichment, education, inspiration, community building, socialization, relaxation, healthy living, economic development, public relations for community.

Who are the users?

Families, students, tourists, suburbanites, city residents, retirees, empty nesters, Singles, everybody and anybody.

What values do you think arts and culture bring to individuals, families, communities? What basic values do they support?

• Creativity

• Tolerance

• Diversity

• A desire to connect

• Self-awareness

• Empathy

• Sensitivity

• Inspiration

• Economic development

• Community pride

• Aesthetic development

• Urban revitalization

• Mitigate social ills like graffiti

• Channel energy away from the negative and towards positive outcomes

• Technical training opportunities for future artists, musicians, performers

• Financial support for artists

In our region, what are the barriers to these uses and values?

• Financial barriers to both patron and organization.

• Ignorance.

• Travel time.

• Parking - Philadelphia is car-unfriendly.

• Public transportation is unsatisfactory.

• Competition from television and video games.

• Prejudice.

• Arts community suffers from self-defeatism.

• Geographic barriers: In a “city of neighborhoods,” people stick to their neighborhood.

• Arts/opera/theater/music subcultures that don’t mingle, communicate, or coordinate.

• Snobbery and elitism.
On the other hand, outreach programs run by the orchestra and theater received special mention.

• Some participants believed that information and awareness about arts and culture events and institutions ran high; other participants thought that it was especially difficult to find information about events and institutions.

You're part of a committee that's going to decide how $60 million gets spent. What's on your list?

• Transportation.
Improve SEPTA bus system; provide parking lots and run shuttles to events; provide late night bus service.

• Provide funding for youth (16-25 yrs). Specifically, fund artists in residence programs; expand education at all venues; create an “art guide” for pre-college students. Encourage a “first visit.” Add programs to elementary education that encourage artistic expression and visits to museums and performances. Subsidize tickets for youth.

• Community outreach.
Provide funding to groups to “take arts and culture to the people.”

• Centralized arts-and-culture marketing office. Promote the Philadelphia region as a cultural destination. This should function as an
information clearinghouse for events and organizations. Information should be available for all arts and for all neighborhoods.

• Provide seed money to artists. Goal is to help to attract and retain practicing artists.

• Subsidize tickets/entry fees.

• Create a Children’s Art Gallery.

• Restore the Boyd; provide more small performance spaces.

• Provide “Art Billboards” at construction sites.

There's only $20 million to spend. How do you prioritize your list from the previous
question?

The three top priorities are:

• Transportation

• Outreach to youth

• Arts-and-culture marketing office

Other major regional concerns or issues? Which of these have a higher or lower
priority than arts and culture? Could arts and culture be part of the solution?

Higher priority:

• Public safety (but arts and culture has positive effect on safety)

• Schools (but arts and culture is integral to education)

• Jobs (but arts and culture is integral to employment and economic development)

Lower priority:

• Good governance (but arts and culture is a part of good governance)

• Transportation (but transportation is a part of improved arts and culture)

• Infrastructure (roads, sewers, bridges; has minimal synergy with arts and culture)

• Affordable housing (has minimal synergy with arts and culture)

• Parks (but parks and recreation are part of arts and culture)

• Sustainability (not much synergy with arts and culture)