PHILADELPHIA, June 28, 2016 – Affordable access to theater and opera performances, art installations, performances in unconventional venues and a mobile studio that offers neighborhood residents hands-on art-making experiences are among the plans for 17 arts organizations receiving a total of $1 million in grants from the PNC Foundation through PNC Arts Alive.
For an eighth straight year, PNC will contribute to large and small arts groups in the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region. The grants cover a wide range of disciplines, audiences and participatory experiences. [See below for the complete list of grant recipients.]
Since its debut in 2009, the PNC Arts Alive program has committed $8 million to support more than 177 arts programs and 80 organizations to increase access to the arts and culture in Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. PNC Arts Alive has supported new exhibitions and festivals, pop-up theater and music performances, mobile arts vans, family arts programs and more throughout the region. Originally envisioned as a five year, $5 million dollar initiative, PNC announced earlier this year that it will extend the program through a total of 10 years and provide $10 million in funding support to local arts organizations.
“Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s thriving arts and cultural scene brings significant value to our economy and to all of us who live, work and play here,” said Paula Fryland, PNC regional president for Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey. “Entering into its eighth year, Arts Alive-funded programs continue to strengthen the ability of our arts community to create innovative exhibits and experiences that reach hundreds of thousands of people. We are excited about the new opportunities that will be created by this year’s grant recipients.”
Family Fun, Free Events
Programs supported through PNC Arts Alive include a concert series targeted to young adult audiences that pairs an ensemble of orchestral musicians with popular alt-rock bands, Broadway cabaret performances and art-making experiences.
The return of two annual family programs, the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s summer season “Arts Splash” and Opera Philadelphia’s “Opera on the Mall”, provide opportunities for the community to come together to experience the visual arts and an opening night performance of Puccini’s “Turandot.”
Walnut Street Theatre will showcase a production of Neil Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” designed to connect with young professionals, as well as audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center will hold free admission on select weekends, enabling children and families to participate in a variety of hands-on activities.
PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year grant initiative of the PNC Foundation that challenges visual and performing arts organizations to put forth their best, most original thinking in expanding audience participation and engagement. To date, this award-winning program has provided approximately $13 million in grants to enterprising cultural organizations in three regions served by PNC. For more information, visit www.pncartsalive.com.
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (NYSE: PNC), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
PNC ARTS ALIVE – 2016 GRANT RECIPIENTS
The African-American Museum in Philadelphia
The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) will curate an original, multidisciplinary exhibition and pop-up experience to examine the arc of creativity, ideology, and style that defines Philadelphia’s Black Aesthetic. PhilAesthetic will celebrate Black Philadelphia’s wide-ranging artistic contributions and their impact across decades, disciplines, and institutions, within and beyond AAMP, Freedom Theatre, Philadanco, and the Clef Club, as well as including the music that defined “The Sound of Philadelphia” and influential visual artists such as Barkley Hendricks.
Asian Arts Initiative
Asian Arts Initiative is leading a multi-year effort to transform Pearl Street in Chinatown, from a neglected alleyway into a vibrant cultural space. In 2015, support from PNC Arts Alive enabled Asian Arts Initiative to launch arts programming including art installations and performances in unconventional venues. Asian Arts Initiative will continue to deliver this innovative “pop-up” programming, as well as implement a series of colorful murals and architectural art installations.
Bay Atlantic Symphony
Bay Atlantic Symphony’s Rat Pack in Vegas will bring the swingin’ songs of The Rat Pack to the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa for the wildest party of the year on September 17, 2016. Following its classical roots, the Symphony will then open its 2016-2017 season with Mozart’s Requiem – one of the world’s most important pieces of music – to be performed October 29, 2016 at The Landis Theatre (Vineland, NJ) and October 30, 2016 at Stockton University (Galloway Township, NJ).
Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art
PNC Arts Alive enables the Brandywine Museum of Art to enhance the complimentary admission available to all museum guests on the first Sunday of every month (February through November) with high quality, hands-on arts programming for family audiences. In addition to family-oriented activities, museum programming includes multidisciplinary offerings for older children and adults, as well as dynamic performances of music, theater, and storytelling.
Cape May Stage
Cape May Stage’s Broadway Series will bring innovative musical and theatrical programming to South Jersey, based on the hugely successful subscription series at the Hollywood Bowl and other venues. To date, the Cape May Broadway Series has entertained audiences with a broad array of music, including Broadway, jazz, and cabaret. This six-show series will be offered on Monday evenings from Memorial Day through Labor Day, at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse.
First Person Arts, Inc.
In 2016, First Person Arts (FPA) will celebrate its 15th anniversary, with the largest First Person Arts Festival to date. This includes “Encore” performances that highlight artists and stories from FPA’s history, as well as the popular Grand Slam and a special “All Star” Grand Slam. Two marquee events will provide a platform for the compelling personal stories within our communities, while a new Story Sparked series will invite audience members to reflect and respond to FPA events by recording their own photo and video stories.
Fleisher Art Memorial
ColorWheels is a one-of-a-kind mobile art studio, delivering hands-on art-making experiences to Philadelphia residents of all ages and backgrounds. PNC Arts Alive helped to launch this creative vehicle in 2012, and since then, ColorWheels has provided 90 art-making events at 55 community sites and events, and engaged more than 5,500 children and adults.
Fringe Arts
FringeArts presents a year-round performance series, featuring the most innovative dance, theatre, music, and visual arts from around the world. Programming comprises five areas of work by local and international artists. This includes FringeArts Presents, FringeArts Residencies, Scratch Night (highlighting self-produced Fringe artists), Get Pegged Cabaret, and First Friday Music.
James A. Michener Art Museum
The Michener Art Museum will expand on its successful Music at the Michener to include three Broadway Cabarets, to be presented in summer 2017. Featuring populist fare – and complimentary program admission – this new offering will engage new and diverse audiences. All programming is intended to increase community engagement and make the arts more accessible.
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
The Mann seeks to engage young adult audiences through the development of a new concert format that crosses genres. Curated concerts will explore the relationship between classical music and the rock scene, pairing a small ensemble of orchestral musicians with a popular alt-rock band (i.e., Dr. Dog or Kurt Vile & the Violators). Grant funding enables the Mann to distribute 2,000 complimentary lawn tickets among Connections event attendees to its more traditional concert series.
Opera Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia will expand arts access and civic impact through its sixth annual Opera on the Mall. In 2016, this event will be held on Saturday, October 1st. Opera on the Mall 2016 will engage thousands of Philadelphians via a free-to-the-public, open-air event at Independence National Historical Park and will notably feature a HD video broadcast of Puccini’s “Turandot.” This broadcast will be of the Opera Company’s opening night performance, captured in multi-media HD and including on-screen English subtitles.
Perkins Center for the Arts
The Perkins Center’s mission is to eliminate financial barriers to the arts, all while growing South Jersey’s arts audiences through a variety of free arts participation opportunities. These include an outdoor concert series in Collingswood and Moorestown; a series of “Summer Creation Stations”, to be hosted at Collingswood Farmers’ Market; a free Artist Open Studio Tour; and free “Lunch and Learn” events, featuring culturally focused demonstrations, lectures, performances, and the like.
PHILADANCO!
PHILADANCO! Home Season programming is designed to build bridges among diverse cultures and ages. This includes the 46th annual ‘Danco on ‘Danco, designed to highlight cultural traditions through the vision and art of apprentice PHILADANCO dancers; Straight Outta’ Philly, a collaboration between PHILADANCO and the acclaimed hip-hop/modern dance choreographer Rennie Harris Pure Movement; and the 6th Annual Founders Day’ Concert, with outreach to Philadelphia’s diverse communities.
Philadelphia Film Society
In 2015, the Philadelphia Film Society (PFS) created PFF On Us – a free ticketing program to make the Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF) accessible to K-12 and university students, nonprofit organizations, and individuals throughout the region. More than 4,500 tickets were reserved through PFF On Us in its first year. PFS now seeks to grow this program into a year-round film engagement program. The proposed PFS On Us will enable cinematic programming for a number of diverse communities, including families, minorities, low-income communities, and international groups.
Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA)
In 2013, PMA launched Art Splash, a first of its kind, summer-long family art experience. More than 27,000 children and families participated in its inaugural year, with 30% of those admitted free or at reduced cost. The program continued in 2015 and will once again open in summer 2016. In 2017, Art Splash will come to life through the fantastic nature photographs of Michael “Nick” Nichols. Additionally, PMA’s Family Festivals will draw young people and their adults to the Museum all year long via bi-monthly family arts programs.
Walnut Street Theatre
The Walnut Street Theatre has announced plans for a range of events designed to introduce millennials to the theatre arts. The centerpiece of this effort will be two PNC Arts Alive-sponsored performances of Neil Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor”, with the theatre working closely with local universities, as well as several young professional organizations, to distribute 1,800 fully-subsidized show tickets. An “After the Laughter” party will further reinforce that a night at the theatre is a fun and accessible social experience.
Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center
Wheaton Arts is pleased to continue its Wheaton Wide Open Weekends (WWOW) program series, keeping Wheaton Arts’ doors open for free or reduced admission during 13 key weekends throughout the year. In 2016-2017, WWOW will once again enable free access to its Museum of American Glass, the Hot Glass Studio, Folk Life Center, and additional family-oriented workshops and tours, Friday through Sunday of each Wheaton Wide Open Weekend. Visitors will be invited to participate in tours and demonstrations, as well as take part in family programming and children’s activities.
CONTACT:
Jason Beyersdorfer
(609) 651-5617
jason.b@pnc.com
@JasonB_PNC
