STAMP Teen Council Photo courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
By Erin De Rosa, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
Since 1972, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (GPCA) has played a key role in ensuring the health and vitality of arts and culture in Greater Philadelphia. GPCA leads, strengthens, and gives voice to more than 450 member organizations who generate over $3.3 billion in economic impact for the region.
The Philadelphia cultural community counts on the GPCA for research reports on the health and growth of the sector; grantmaking in partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; professional development and membership services; marketing and audience development through consumer marketing programs such as the Phillyfunguide.com, Funsavers, and the new community loyalty program Funperks; and leadership in policy and community engagement through our GroundSwell advocacy initiative and STAMP teen program.
The Cultural Alliance is the regional partner agency of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. In 2015, 98 projects from the Philadelphia region were funded by Project Stream with nearly $95,000 in grants through the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts’ (PCA) Partners in the Arts program. PECO provided an additional $15,000 in funding. The average award this year was $1,112. Five noteworthy grantees include:
Art Ability, a year-round program at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital which serves as a showcase for and celebration of artists with disabilities. Its largest component is an international, twelve-week exhibition and sale of art.
Brush With the Law, a prison art pro-gram by artist Maria Maneos and Fractured Atlas. The program is conducted within the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in a semi-rural section of Eagleville, PA. The project uses visual art practices as a catalyst for positive transformation and self-expression for the inmates involved.
Project Capoeira, which produces Brazilian Day Philadelphia. The festival, now in its second year at the Greater Plaza at Penn’s Landing, features Brazilian music and dancing, food and beverage, artists, and other hands-on activities.
Quakertown Alive, which produces Arts Alive!, the organization’s annual juried art show. The show highlights emerging artists and performers in their event that takes place in downtown Quakertown. This year, Quakertown Alive will be partnering with New Vitae Wellness and Recovery and Art Z Studio to include artists who struggle with men-tal and chronic physical disabilities and use art as a rehabilitative activity.
RAIR (Recycled Artist in Residency), provides artists on-site access to recovered materials while RAIR’s Special Projects program expands its reach by fulfilling specific material requests to com-munity groups.