Cultural Alliance Launches TechniCulture Innovation Residency Awards to Foster Collaboration between Technology and Arts Groups

Philadelphia—On Monday, June 22, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance opened entries for the TechniCulture Innovation Residency Award program, the next phase of the organization’s TechniCulture initiative to encourage deeper collaborations between Philadelphia’s arts & culture community and the tech sector. Three organizations will be selected and awarded a residency with a technologist or digital agency, a process that will help organizations evaluate their digital needs and develop a plan to launch a project or application that will best suit their mission.

“A lot of the feedback we heard from our 2015 TechniCulture event was that though the cultural community is eager to innovate, the biggest obstacle to breaking into the digital arena isn’t just funding—for many, it’s not knowing where to even begin,” said Maud Lyon, President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “This award is a great opportunity for an organization that has the will and passion to innovate, but doesn’t have the capacity or resources to take the first step.”

Now through Friday, August 21, the Cultural Alliance invites its member organizations with an operating budget of $1 million or less to apply online at www.philaculture.org/techniculture.

Each residency will be seeded with a $2,000 stipend for the individual technologist or digital agency assigned to the cultural organization. After their residency, organizations will also be supported in winter 2016  with a curated "design challenge" of technologists, arts professionals, marketers, communications specialists and grantwriters who will help them take their project planning to the next level and think through the next phases of development and implementation, including grant applications to seek full funding of their projects.

At the next TechniCulture event during Philly Tech Week in April 2016, TechniCulture Innovation Residency Award participants will present their project proposals for the opportunity to receive additional support. Attendees will vote on their favorite project, and the most compelling proposal will receive additional services to help make their project a reality.

Additionally, in an effort to grow its base of technology-sector partners, the Alliance is putting out an open call for any interested technologists to participate as potential TechniCulture Innovation Residency Award partners or join a design challenge team. Developers and digital agencies interested in being part of TechniCulture are encouraged to contact Grants & Program Manager Tracy Buchanan at tracyb@philaculture.org.

Major support for TechniCulture Innovation Residency Awards has been provided by Morgan Lewis, Safeguard Scientifics, the University City Science Center and Emily Goodman. For more information about the TechniCulture Innovation Residency Award program and the Alliance’s expanding TechniCulture initiative, contact Alison Zeidman at alisonz@philaculture.org or 215-805-5737.

ABOUT THE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CULTURAL ALLIANCE
Established in 1972, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is the region’s leading arts and cultural advocacy, research and marketing organization. Our mission is to “lead, strengthen and give voice to a diverse cultural sector that is making Philadelphia a world-class region to live, work, and play.”  Our membership includes over 400 organizations ranging from museums and dance companies to community art centers, historic sites, music ensembles and zoos. Our members, as well as the cultural community as a whole, count on the Alliance for signature research reports on the health and growth of the sector; grantmaking in partnership with the Pennsylvania Council on the arts; robust professional development and membership services; marketing and audience development through our signature consumer marketing programs, Phillyfunguide.com and Funsavers; and leadership in policy and community engagement through our GroundSwell advocacy initiative and STAMP teen program. For more information on the Cultural Alliance, please visit www.philaculture.org.