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Arts Magnifique! Highlights
PNC ARTS ALIVE AWARD for Arts Innovation in honor of Peggy Amsterdam
Fairmount Park Art Association
[Penny Balkin Bach]
It’s a museum that’s free and never closes. One with statues and sculpture on public view 24/7, yet often overlooked and underappreciated. But that’s all changing.
Thanks to Fairmount Park Art Association’s cutting edge and tech-savvy program, Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO, Philadelphia’s outstanding collection of public art is getting much-deserved attention. The self-guided tour uses captivating narratives with more than 100 authentic voices of artists and others personally connected to the works. And it’s all accessed through a variety of platforms: on the street by cell phone, audio download, smart phone app and QR code or on the website as streaming audio and audio slideshows. On-site signage and maps complement the 3-4 minute, professionally produced audio segments.
The fresh and engaging experience is like eavesdropping on fascinating conversations. As a result, Fairmount Park Art Association is meeting its goals of introducing culture to diverse, nontraditional arts audiences – and prompting residents and tourists to spontaneously stop and listen.
In its first phase, the project features 35 interpretive stops at 51 sculptures positioned along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Kelly Drive.
New award honors Peggy Amsterdam
PNC honors the legacy of Peggy Amsterdam, past president of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, with today’s presentation of the inaugural PNC Arts Alive Award for Arts Innovation. Amsterdam’s stellar work in both advocating and promoting greater citizen participation in the arts inspired the creation of this award, which will be presented to a visual and/or performing arts group that has demonstrated an innovative approach to increasing arts access and engagement.
Commenting about the importance of the award, Bill Mills, president of PNC, Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, says: “Investing in innovative arts programs is a key step in ensuring the future of our local economy.”
PNC Arts Alive is The PNC Foundation’s five-year, $5-million program designed to support visual and performing arts organizations. The goal is to increase engagement in the arts, expand audiences and make the arts more accessible to diverse audiences in the Philadelphia metropolitan area and Southern New Jersey.
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Photographs by Flynn Photography |