CultureWire | April 2025

Cultural Alliance member BalletX is Philadelphia's premiere contemporary ballet. On May 2-3, BalletX returns to the iconic Mann Center for the Performing Arts for the 2025 Festival at the Mann, a two-day celebration of art, community and the power of dance. The event will feature the highly anticipated world premiere of Maslow's Peak by Jennifer Archibald, a daring full-length work inspired by William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies. Learn more. Photo by Chris Kendig Photography.

Arts & Culture in the News 

• The Cultural Alliance's most recent survey indicates the federal freeze has led to severe financial challenges for area arts organizations, including the high-profile cancellation of First Person Arts's long-running StorySlam events. Read more from The Philadelphia Inquirer. 

• Philly arts organizations are navigating stormy federal funding guidelines. Reporting from WHYY shares the varied reactions from numerous organizations including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Opera Philadelphia, The Fabric Workshop and Museum, PHILADANCO!, and InLiquid. 

• In New York City, the Cultural Development Fund is pumping $60 million into cultural, arts, and historical organizations in 2025. Read more in Brooklyn Magazine.

Updates from the Cultural Alliance

As highlighted in an Advocacy Alert distributed last week by the Cultural Alliance, President Trump issued an executive order that will effectively dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Please take a few minutes to email and call your representatives in Congress today using the American Alliance of Museums' templates to urge them to communicate with the Administration about the importance of IMLS. 

As the landscape continues to evolve, the Cultural Alliance is asking arts, culture, and humanities organizations to fill out our survey on the consequences of the loss of federal funding. We want to hear how executive orders impacting the IMLS, NEA, NEH, and other federal funding sources will affect your organization’s operations, educational services, and programming plans. Take our survey by March 31. 

DEADLINE EXTENDED: The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is the regranting partner for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) PA Arts and Culture Recovery Program (PACR) Pandemic Payments to Art and Culture Professionals Component. Pandemic payments will be distributed to individual arts professionals in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties who suffered financial losses due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Applications are open now through March 28, 2025. Learn more.

Applications for the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator program (CEAP) are now open! A program from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, CEAP provides creative entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own for-profit business, or who operate an existing for-profit micro business, with access to small business consulting services and financial resources. Visit our website to learn more.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Organizations can apply to be a worksite for the Bloomberg Arts Internship through April 15! Non-profit arts and culture organizations have the opportunity to engage with eager students with the support of BAI staff and receive a generous stipend for their participation. In addition to worksite partnerships, the Cultural Alliance also works with a diverse group of organizations to provide in-person cultural immersion experiences. A cultural immersion might include tours, workshops, or performances, as well as staff and artist Q&As with the intern cohort. Organizations that host a cultural immersion may receive up to $2,500. Apply now. 

The Cultural Alliance's first Spring 2025 Member Mixer at REC Philly is sold out but limited space is still available for our next FREE Member Mixer on Thursday, April 10. Held at Glen Foerd in Northeast Philadelphia, the April Mixer will be led by Sarah Maiellano from Broad Street Communications to discuss marketing and storytelling for arts and culture organizations. Register. 

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Arts & Culture by the Numbers

Preliminary findings from 139 respondents to the Cultural Alliance's federal funding survey reports harmful impacts across the arts and culture sector. The survey is open until March 31.

Job Bank

The Cultural Alliance’s Job Bank is Greater Philadelphia's top resource for job opportunities in arts and culture. You’ll find positions at all professional levels in museums, theaters, historic sites, art galleries, dance studios, community centers, and much more. Keep reading for the most recent listings from Member organizations.

PREMIUM POST

Finance Manager at Performance Garage. Performance Garage is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Finance Manager to provide dedicated financial support. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in financial management and a deep understanding of non-profit accounting. This role requires twice weekly in-person work days with the Performance Garage team and a commitment to maintaining financial confidentiality and trust. Learn more. 

• Philanthropy Manager at the Science History Institute

• Development Summer Internship and Student Programs Facilitator at the National Constitution Center

• Music Program Associate (Instruction & Operations) at Noteworthy Philadelphia

• Box Office Representative at People's Light

• Art Education Manager and Director of Community Education & Engagement at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

• Marketing Associate at the Lantern Theater Company

• Assistant Registrar at Moore College of Art & Design

Want to connect to candidates? The Cultural Alliance’s Job Bank has 60,000+ views each month. Job listings are free for Cultural Alliance Members and start at just $95 for non-Members. Learn more.

Partner Messages

Cultural Alliance Members are invited to the Empowering Nonprofits Conference. On Thursday, April 10, Temple University brings together nonprofit leaders for expert-led workshops, tools and strategies to enhance their effect. This conference is your opportunity to amplify your impact, explore Temple’s resources and position your organization for success. Cultural Alliance members can use code TEMPLE10 to get 10% off of registration. Learn more.