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The Recession May Be Over, But Its Impact on Cultural Organizations Has Just BegunThe Recession May Be Over, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Philadelphia, PA – On September 14, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 10,000, prompting some to declare, “The recession is over.” While this may be true in the broader economy, greater Philadelphia’s cultural sector is just beginning to feel the full impact of the downturn. Cultural organizations are being particularly hard hit, because as non-profits they depend on contributions for more than half of their income. So while ticket sales and admissions are holding steady, steep declines in philanthropy and investment income are clobbering the bottom line. In response, cultural organizations are drawing their belts ever-tighter in an effort to further reduce costs while maintaining the quality of their public programs. As one local leader noted, “Agility and ability to lead change are vital skills right now, not just in our institution but within our local arts landscape.” According to TempCheck, a periodic survey released today by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the trends over the past six months clearly indicate that while attendance remains strong, the lag effect of the economy is taking its toll on other forms of government, foundation and corporate support which are essential to keeping the arts accessible to all. “In my thirty-five years, I’ve never seen it so tough,”said Peggy Amsterdam, President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “Arts organizations are doing everything they can to keep the doors open. Thankfully, we’re not having to deal with an arts tax too. That would have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Findings of the most recent TempCheck survey include: The Good News The Bad News How Organizations are Responding The Financial Outlook These results reflect the experience of ninety-nine organizations representing a wide range of budget sizes and disciplines who responded to a questionnaire assessing the effects of the economy on their fundraising, programming, and other activities. The Cultural Alliance is fielding TempCheck on a regular basis to measure shifts over time. A full copy of the finding is available at more results, including information about how the impact of the recession differs among various types of cultural organizations, click here The public can learn more about the Cultural Alliance’s research and advocacy efforts by signing up to receive advocacy alerts from the Cultural Alliance’s Online Action Center at www.philaculture.org For more information about the results, please contact John McInerney, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, at 215-399-3515 or johnm@philaculture.org
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Philadelphia, PA – On September 14, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 10,000, prompting some to declare, “The recession is over.” While this may be true in the broader economy, greater Philadelphia’s cultural sector is just beginning to feel the full impact of the downturn. Cultural organizations are being particularly hard hit, because as non-profits they depend on contributions for more than half of their income. So while ticket sales and admissions are holding steady, steep declines in philanthropy and investment income are clobbering the bottom line. In response, cultural organizations are drawing their belts ever-tighter in an effort to further reduce costs while maintaining the quality of their public programs. As one local leader noted, “Agility and ability to lead change are vital skills right now, not just in our institution but within our local arts landscape.” According to TempCheck, a periodic survey released today by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the trends over the past six months clearly indicate that while attendance remains strong, the lag effect of the economy is taking its toll on other forms of government, foundation and corporate support which are essential to keeping the arts accessible to all. “In my thirty-five years, I’ve never seen it so tough,”said Peggy Amsterdam, President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. “Arts organizations are doing everything they can to keep the doors open. Thankfully, we’re not having to deal with an arts tax too. That would have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.” |
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The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions. |