Yo, Is Philly the Spokesmodel for Urban Culture?

It's a great time to be in the arts in Philly! And I think the flourishing extends beyond "the wealthy and their pastimes" though of course they're an important part of the arts. I don't know about 9th and Indiana, but the arts garage at Broad and Ridge is coming into its own, and there's a budding Arts organization called Arts West on 52nd Street (also home to the Bushfire Theatre which is ramping up its operations). And a brief romp through YouTube will convince you just how robust, diverse and interesting is the hip hop scene in Philly right now. The Ave. of the Arts is still a central part of the scene, but events there are more accessible than they ever have been before. First Person Arts--where I work (full disclosure)--hosts a series of arts salons on the 2nd Wed. of every month at the Gershman Y that cost just 5 bucks and incorporate all kinds of memoir and documentary work. On June 11th, for example, we'll screen a portion of Ron Kanter's recent doc New Cops about a class at the Philly Police Academy and have a discussion with some of the officers featured. We'll also have a reading by Lorene Carey (of Art Sanctuary) from her memoir and a presentation by a Mural Artist on one of his recent projects. (more info as http://www.firstpersonarts.org ) My point, of course, is that the arts--even on the Ave. of the Arts--are more accessible and diverse than they have been in Philadelphia in the past, and that's not merely due to the whims of the wealthy elite.

Andrew

Oh WC, ye of little faith, stay tuned to the Inquirer as I'll have an article in there after Memorial Day about how the scene has moved north into Fishtown, and the positive effect at least one theater is having on the community.

And remember, a healthy arts scene means healthy arts education, since most theaters have an educational wing (great for grants) and thus bring their craft to the schools, which, as you might have noticed, aren't otherwise getting much arts (remember those 74% of 8th graders without theater?)

Of course, the boom is funded by the wealthy, but the benefits, which also include free public events, busier streets, better property values, and a higher quality of life, are widespread.

Not wishing to be a cynic but.....

Could the 'booming Philly arts scene' be class related? Recessions rarely affect the wealthy and their pastimes.....

Maybe the magnanimous Bohemians could see their way to offering some free seats around 9th and Indiana.....