This April 30th, Stand Up For Arts & Culture

Media Contact:
Karim Olaechea, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
Ph: (215) 399-3518; Email: karimo@philaculture.org

Philadelphia, PA -- Join forces with the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and advocates from around Pennsylvania to stand up for arts and culture. This April 30th, arts and culture voters will make their voices heard by making visits to district offices of their state legislators. Those who can’t make the trip can sign onto the Cultural Alliance’s online petition, and we will carry their message of support with us to Harrisburg.

>Click here to sign our petition and learn more about the April 30th legislative visits.

Currently, both Governor Corbett and the State Senate have proposed level funding for the state’s arts agency, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. The last piece of the puzzle will be the House of Representatives, which last year proposed a crippling 70% cut to PCA’s granting budget. Also at stake this year are proposed cuts to museum funding and the zeroing out of the state’s line item for zoos.

When the General Assembly gavels back into session on April 30th, it is imperative that they know how important arts and culture are to our economy, our communities and the education of our children. Here are the steps that Pennsylvania’s legislators can take to continue their investment in arts and culture:

✔ Support level funding for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts  
✔ Ensure access to EITC for arts and cultural Educational Improvement Organizations
✔ Maintain level funding for the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission  
✔ Restore funding for Pennsylvania’s zoos
✔ Restore funding for tourism marketing and promotions

At a time when we need all the revenue we can get, the cultural sector is a powerful economic engine and crucial to our tax-base. Pennsylvania’s cultural sector provides 62,000 jobs and generates hundreds of millions of dollars in state and local tax revenues. Arts and culture by the numbers:

• supports 62,000 full-time equivalent jobs all over the Commonwealth.
• pumps $2 billion of spending into our economy.
• generates $283 million in local and state tax revenues.

With funding for school arts programs in jeopardy, our museums, theaters, libraries and community centers serve an even more important role as the Commonwealth’s cultural classroom. There are 5.4 million visits by Pennsylvania school children to museums, theaters, zoos and other cultural organizations. Across the state, more than 73,254 visits are made by school groups.

About the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
The mission of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is to make Philadelphia and its suburban counties one of the foremost creative regions in the world. The Cultural Alliance believes that the Greater Philadelphia region grows stronger and more vibrant by growing its arts and culture. Representing more than 400 member institutions, with more than 9,000 employees and 24,000 volunteers, the Cultural Alliance is able to speak as one collective voice for the region’s cultural community.  

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