Affordable access to theater, jazz and blues performances, a mobile studio that offers neighborhood residents hands-on art-making experiences and multicultural productions are among the plans for 31 arts organizations receiving a total of $1.2 million in grants through PNC Arts Alive.
Entering its 11th year, PNC will support large and small arts groups in the Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey region. The grants cover a wide range of disciplines, audiences and participatory experiences.
In addition, as announced by Joseph G. Meterchick, PNC regional president, during last year’s Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance annual meeting, the PNC Arts Alive program is evolving to include a new component. The PNC Arts Alive CONNECT initiative now will provide funding support for smaller, community-based arts and culture organizations. Since its debut in 2009, PNC Arts Alive has provided $10 million to support more than 270 arts programs and 65 organizations. This year’s Arts Alive portfolio also includes nine new Arts Alive CONNECT program participants. Financial support is made possible through the PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group.
“The success of PNC Arts Alive can be seen in its continued extension, as well as the addition of support for neighborhood arts and culture organizations,” Meterchick said. “With PNC Arts Alive-funded programming spanning more than a decade, we continue to see its benefits as our arts community grows and creates innovative exhibits and experiences reaching hundreds of thousands of people.”
Family Fun, Free Events
PNC Arts Alive once again will support a range of family-friendly programs, like the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s pay-what-you-wish “Community Days,” the Clay Studio’s Hands-on Clay and Fleisher Art Memorial’s ColorWheels programs, and Opera Philadelphia’s “Opera on the Mall,” which each provide opportunities for the community to come together to experience the visual and performing arts.
In addition, with the support of PNC Arts Alive funding, both the Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble and PHILADANCO! will celebrate their 50th anniversary seasons – with such events as PHILADANCO’S October 5, celebration at the Merriam Theater, with co-hosts Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Also among the latest programs supported through PNC Arts Alive is the People’s Light world premiere of Inside Ashland, a production exploring the story of Civil Rights activist Bayard Rustin. Included among the inaugural participants of PNC Arts Alive CONNECT are the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion’s theatre program emphasizing Black History, the Jazz Bridge Project’s Neighborhood Concerts program, the annual Media Film Festival, and productions by the South Camden Theater Company, among other programs.
PNC Arts Alive is a multi-year initiative of PNC and the PNC Foundation dedicated to supporting visual and performing arts groups with the goal of increasing arts access and engagement in new and innovative ways. The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, 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. For more information, visit www.pncartsalive.com.