Cultural Alliance Invites Philadelphians to Support Teens Participating in Arts & Creativity, Invest in STAMP

Philadelphia, 2014—On Tuesday, December 2, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance will participate in the nationwide #GivingTuesday campaign to raise additional funds for STAMP: The Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Family Teen Program.

Supporters can pledge their donations online in advance by selecting “Count for #GivingTuesday” on the Razoo donation page: http://www.razoo.com/story/Stamp. Check donations may also be mailed to the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (1315 Walnut Street, Ste 732, Philadelphia, PA 19107) with “Giving Tuesday” in the memo.

Since October 2013, over 12,000 Philadelphia teens have signed up for the STAMP Pass, which gives them free access to 15 museums and cultural attractions. This #GivingTuesday, the Alliance’s goal is to raise $15,000 for STAMP program activities. In addition to sponsoring STAMP Passes for individual teens, donors can choose from giving levels that go towards covering the cost of supplies for Teen Council meetings, the Spring 2015 STAMP Day on the Parkway, and more.

“We’re thrilled that the STAMP Pass has been so wildly popular with Philadelphia’s teens, but the pass is just the beginning,” says Nicole Allen, Director of Policy & Community Engagement for the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “Through STAMP, teens not only have access to 15 of the best museums and attractions in Philadelphia, but also cultural happenings throughout the year, and information on internships and community service opportunities. We’ve watched for over a year now as thousands of teens have used STAMP to develop their passions and get involved in their neighborhoods, and we invite everyone in Philadelphia to help support these amazing kids.”

The impact of STAMP has been significant. At a time when the school district is in crisis and art, music and afterschool programs have been eliminated, STAMP gives teens the opportunity to experience arts and culture first-hand and explore their full potential. The program has been extremely successful in reaching youth from Philadelphia neighborhoods with very low cultural participation, with over 75% coming from neighborhoods with little to no access to museum experiences. Furthermore, 58% of STAMP Passholders are African American or Latino, and 47% come from economically-disadvantaged households.

Participating STAMP museums and cultural institutions include:

African American Museum in Philadelphia
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Barnes Foundation
Eastern State Penitentiary
Fabric Workshop and Museum
The Franklin Institute
Institute of Contemporary Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Mutter Museum
National Constitution Center
National Museum of American Jewish History
Penn Museum
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Philadelphia History Museum
Philadelphia Zoo

STAMP is generously underwritten by Virginia and Harvey Kimmel and by grants from the Hess Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Philadelphia Foundation’s Fund for Children, Wells Fargo, and Wyncote Foundation.

For more information on the STAMP program, visit www.phillystamppass.org.

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.

ABOUT STAMP
Students who enroll in STAMP: The Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Family Teen Program receive the STAMP Pass, a card that they can present to get free out-of-school-time admission to some of the city’s top museums and cultural venues. The STAMP Pass is available at no charge to teens ages 14 to 19 who live in the city of Philadelphia. Teens can register for the pass by visiting www.phillystamppass.org.