CONTACT:
Jason Beyersdorfer
732-220-3055
jason.b@pnc.com
ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SHARE $1 MILLION FROM PNC ARTS ALIVE
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Grants to boost access – ranging from simulcast opera to 30-second video art
City and suburban arts groups benefit from sixth year of PNC’s contributions
PHILADELPHIA, May 1, 2014 – Access to simulcast opera, ballet and theater performances and
30-second video art installations in city taxis are among the plans of 21 arts organizations and four
service partners receiving grants totaling $1 million from the PNC Foundation through PNC Arts Alive.
For the sixth straight year, PNC will contribute $1 million to arts groups large and small in its
Philadelphia/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.]
“Entering the sixth year of PNC Arts Alive, we continue to focus on making the arts more
accessible and asked our region’s arts groups to help people experience art in new ways,” said Bill Mills,
PNC regional president for Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. “The performing arts community has
once again delivered on that goal, engaging audiences through a diverse array of innovative programs
that showcase our region at its best.”
Family Fun, Free Events
Reprising two annual family programs, the Philadelphia Museum of Arts’ summer season “Arts
Splash” and one-day fall event “Every Family Party” make the museums exhibits accessible to all
generations through interactive actitives for all generations.
Opera Philadelphia launches its 40th Anniversary Season on Sept. 27th with “Opera on the Mall:
The Barber of Seville Presented By PNC Arts Alive.” The community is invited to gather on the mall at
National Independence Historical Park for an HD broadcast of the opening night performance of Rossini’s
opera. The arts will also take to the streets in a real sense as the Kimmel Center’s “Driving Audiences to
Art” brings 30-second video art installations, addressing the theme of PIFA 2015, to 1,300 city cabs.
In summer 2015, Pig Iron Theatre Company will introduce diverse audiences to visual
storytelling. Area residents will also have free admission for eight extended weekends between July and
December 2015 to Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center in Millville, NJ. The 55-acre facility will host
interactive art demonstrations for children and families at no cost.
Including today’s recipients, PNC Arts Alive will have provided a total of $6 million to support
organizations providing greater access to the arts and culture in the Greater Philadelphia/Southern New
Jersey region.
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Arts Organizations Share $1 Million From PNC Arts Alive – Page 2
PNC Arts Alive Background
Each year for six years, PNC Arts Alive has awarded $1 million in grants. In 2009, 23 groups
received funding; in 2010, 27 groups; in 2011, 26 groups; in 2012, 25 groups; in 2013, 21 groups; and
in 2014 another 21 groups.
PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year initiative of the PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding
from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). The goal of PNC Arts Alive is to help area
residents gain access to the arts and to help arts organizations expand and engage audiences. 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 2014 GRANT RECIPIENTS FOLLOWS ]
PNC Arts Alive -- 2014 Grant Recipients
Brandywine River Museum
PNC Arts Alive “First Sundays for Families at the Brandywine River Museum of Art” offers ten dynamic,
hands-on workshops that will focus on art in the museum’s collection and temporary exhibitions. Families
will investigate connections such as those between the vibrant landscapes found in Charles Burchfield’s
watercolor paintings and the natural environment, and the relationship between art elements and
expression seen in the work of artists including Jamie Wyeth and Horace Pippin. These free activities will
take place in and around the museum’s 120-acre campus in Chadds Ford, PA on the first Sunday of each
month from September 7, 2014 to August 3, 2015 (except in December and January). For more
information, please visit www.brandywine.org or call 1-610-388-2700.
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
The PNC Arts Alive “Senior Access Pass” will open the world of simulcast opera, ballet, and theater to
senior citizens on fixed incomes, particularly those with hearing impairment and /or in need of caregiver
or transportation assistance. Working through social service agencies, eligible seniors will receive free
tickets to simulcasts at Bryn Mawr Film Institute during the grant period, transportation support, and
access to hearing assistive technologies. www.BrynMawrFilm.org
First Person Arts
PNC Arts Alive will present the “2014 First Person Arts Festival” plus the “PNC Community Voice Project,”
a special project within the Festival. The Festival includes 23 events over 10 days and is the only
storytelling event in region where artists/citizens tell their personal stories.
Fringe Arts
PNC Arts Alive will support the 2015 Fringe Festival and FringeArts' new series of year-round
performances in its new home on the Delaware River waterfront. Each September, the Fringe Festival
spreads throughout the city, activating neighborhoods with exciting, adventurous art. Throughout the
year, FringeArts is a hub for cultural engagement and social interaction. www.FringeArts.com
InterAct Theatre Company
In the 2014-15 season, InterAct Theatre Company will continue PNC Arts Alive presents INTERACT WITH
US: a program designed to introduce new audiences to theatre through access to a community leader
and their thoughts on a specific play, discounted $10 tickets, and dialogue with the leader and fellow
audience members. The new incarnation of INTERACT WITH US will also combine this community-building
with social-networking to engage all audiences in organic, participant-driven formats. INTERACT WITH US
will take place primarily at InterAct Theatre Company, located in the heart of Center City at 2030 Sansom
Street. Dates TBA. www.interacttheatre.org
Kimmel Center
"Driving Audiences to Art" presented by PNC Arts Alive engages cab patrons in 1,300 taxis with 30second video art installations played in transit. This program will be over four weeks during PIFA 2015.
The 30-second art installations will speak to the theme of PIFA and may carry over to gas
station/supermarket TV's.
Koresh Dance Company
Koresh Dance Company will host the annual Come Together Festival, July 21-27, 2014, at the Suzanne
Roberts Theatre (specific dates and times to be announced). By presenting diverse dance offerings in
mixed bills that generally feature four or five companies per performance, Koresh Dance Company will
introduce audiences to new genres, new artists, and new dimensions in dance artistry. Local and
nationally recognized dance companies of varied styles are invited to perform at the festival.
www.koreshdance.org
Kùlú Mèlé African Dance and Drum Ensemble
Kùlú Mèlé African Dance & Drum Ensemble will commemorate its 45th anniversary with Danzas de Cuba,
presented by PNC Arts Alive. This celebration of Afro-Cuban folkloric dance will include: public classes
with acclaimed masters of Afro-Cuban drum and dance, including choreographer Danys "LaMora" Perez,
founder and artistic director of Oyu Oro dance company; five, in-school performances for middle school
students; three mainstage shows Thanksgiving weekend at The Painted Bride Art Center; an “African
Marketplace”; and an opportunity to meet the artists at a post-show reception. www.kulumele.org
Kun-Yang Lin Dancers
Kun-Yang Lin Dancers will engage in a month-long process of creative, community engagement with
residents of the Southeast Philadelphia neighborhood that is home to many immigrants (including Artistic
Director Kun-Yang Lin). Using novel methods of engagement designed in collaboration with the renowned
Cornerstone Theatre Company of Los Angeles, Kun-Yang Lin Dancers will elicit and then give creative life
to the stories of local residents, resulting in a new piece of dance choreography that will premiere in Fall
2015 and whose developmental process will be shared in intimate showings throughout the community
prior to its debut. www.kunyanglin.org
Opera Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia launches its 40th Anniversary Season with Opera on the Mall: The Barber of Seville
Presented By PNC Arts Alive, a free, open-to-the-public event. On Saturday, September 27, 2014, the
Opera invites all Philadelphians to gather on the mall at National Independence Historical Park for an HD
broadcast of the opening night performance of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville in an open-air, familyfriendly atmosphere. The Academy of Music performance will be shown on a giant video screen with
English supertitles and a state-of-the-art sound system, and the event will include pre-performance, allages activities, picnic-style seating, and opportunities to enhance the experience through social media.
www.operaphila.org
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
“Family Arts Academy” Presented by PNC Arts Alive offers a series of 30 free art-making workshops held
at PAFA and another 40-60 workshops held in diverse neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia,
encouraging parents and children to complete creative projects together. Family Arts Academy Presented
by PNC Arts Alive will kick-off with the annual free Sunday afternoon Family Arts Festival on PAFA’s
Lenfest Plaza in October 2014. For more information, please visit: www.pafa.org/faa
Perkins Center for the Arts
"Social Artworking" program will include 5 free art making creation stations at Collingswood Farmers
Market. "Made to Play" program will include 11 weekly events that are 'pay what you wish' arts classes.
Also, support will provide scholarships and transportation to the summer arts and Eco Camp with final
Friday making stations for camp families (4).
Philadelphia Museum of Art
In 2014, the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) will proudly reprise two, now-annual family arts
traditions: The summer-long “Art Splash,” Presented by PNC Arts Alive and the one-day “Every Family
Party, Presented by PNC Arts Alive.” Art Splash will bring PMA’s collections to life in the inspiring setting
of the Museum’s Main Building, using daily arts activities, interactive gallery programming, and weekend
family celebrations to encourage families to “Meet the Masterpieces.” “Every Family Party,” held each fall,
will similarly welcome community members to share in family art-making, music, and dancing. As in
years past, PMA’s commitment to arts accessibility remains. Of the 30,000+ visitors expected to
participate in both events, combined, PMA will provide free or no cost admission to more than 10,000, the
beneficiaries of family and community service organizations located in neighborhoods citywide.
www.philamuseum.org/calendarEvents/programs
Philadelphia Orchestra
“eZseatU” is an online membership program through The Philadelphia Orchestra that allows regional
college students to pay a one-time $25 membership fee and provides access to Orchestra concerts at no
additional cost. Concerts take place at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and expose college students to
the rich arts and cultural fabric of Philadelphia. More information is available at
www.philorch.org/ezseatu
Philadelphia Photo Arts Center
“Philly Photo Day” is an open invitation for everyone in Philadelphia to come together and share their
vision of the city by taking a picture on October 10th. Philadelphia Photo Art Center will include every
single photograph – thousands – on their website, in a gallery exhibition, and in the first outdoor
exhibition at the newly re-opened Dilworth Plaza at City Hall in spring of 2015, reclaiming our amazing,
central public space for the people with photographs of the city by the people. Learn more about PPAC
and Philly Photo Day at www.philaphotoarts.org
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Pig Iron Theatre Company
“Dr. Dog and Pig Iron: The Swamp” (working title), a Concert Spectacle, presented by PNC Arts Alive.
This concert will be performed in Philadelphia, Summer, 2015 at an area rock club, for diverse audiences
introducing visual storytelling to audiences new to theater. Based on Dr. Dog's "lost" album, this project
will borrow elements from rock opera stagings and the anarchic joy of concert spectacles, employing
outlandish props and "coded messages from another dimension." www.pigiron.org
Scribe Video Center
“Arts on Air” is a free cultural radio program that will be broadcast on WPEB 88.1FM, Scribe’s
neighborhood-focused, volunteer-run radio station. “Arts on Air” will consist of 6-8 recorded programs
curated from productions produced by West Philadelphia’s diverse collection of arts organizations. Scribe
will work in collaboration with the organizations to produce, record and broadcast their productions over
the airwaves in order to expand the audience for these works. West Philadelphia residents of all ages,
ethnicities and income levels will have the chance to be a part of a performance even though they may
not have the financial means or the wherewithal to actually attend the event. www.scribe.org
The Ritz Theatre Company
“The PNC Arts Alive Open Doors at the Ritz" is an accessibility program reaching out to the entire
community. In an attempt to make our work enjoyable for all we are including an All-Access Event,
partnering with Art Reach of Philadelphia, to provide Shadow ASL Interpreting, Sensory Tours and audio
described work along with Open Capturing, Braille Programs and more. We will also be including one
performance for every production, starting in July 2014 through June 2015, that will be pay what you
can. Something – because art has a value for all and what you can- because we want to share for
whatever you can afford. Art for All!! www.ritztheatreco.org
Theatre Horizon
The Broadway musical meets gospel in “PNC Arts Alive presents Black Nativity at Theatre Horizon,” a
jubilant holiday extravaganza that unites audiences for gospel and musical theatre and spotlights the
region’s most soul stirring vocalists. With prose by legendary writer Langston Hughes, Black Nativity is a
secular retelling of the story of a downtrodden people inspired by the arrival of a savior. In diverse
Norristown, where 17% of residents live in poverty and Main Street storefronts are shuttered, Black
Nativity’s promise of hope for a brighter future rings true. December 2015 at Theatre Horizon, 401
DeKalb Street, Norristown, PA. www.theatrehorizon.org
Walnut Street Theatre
Sponsored by PNC Arts Alive, Walnut Street Theatre’s community outreach for its 2014-2015 season
finale production of “Memphis” is a multi-faceted, audience development initiative aimed at the Greater
Philadelphia African-American community. The centerpiece of the project is two fully-subsidized
performances (2,000 tickets) – the first for adults and families in the African-American community and
the second, a student-matinee for high schools in communities with dense African-American populations.
The Walnut will also provide partner organizations in the African-American community with a
complimentary performance from our educational Touring Outreach Program – an arts education initiative
that impacts 80,000+ students in schools across the Delaware Valley each year.
www.walnutstreettheatre.org
Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center
PNC Arts Alive! presents "Wheaton Wide Open Weekends" (WWOW), offering free admission to all visitors
for eight, 3-day weekends over six-months, July – December 2014. WWOW visitors will have free access
to the 55-acre facility at 1501 Glasstown Rd, Millville, NJ, which includes South Jersey's only AAMAccredited museum and a dynamic hot glass studio. Enhanced, culturally diverse programming will
include interactive artist demonstrations and children's hands-on art activities for families that may not
otherwise have access to arts and cultural programming due to economic barriers. www.wheatornarts.org
Service Partners
Art-Reach
Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
WHYY
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