PHILADELPHIA – The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) released its annual call to artists to participate in the 2018 season of Performances in Public Spaces. Part of the Arts in Action program, Performances in Public Spaces presents free performances in neighborhood spaces throughout the city of Philadelphia from June through October.
Based in parks, public squares, and plazas around the city, Performances in Public Spaces are free events that showcase high quality performers and artists delivering meaningful cultural experiences in neighborhoods. Now in its fourth year, the initiative presents an average of 30 free performances annually, providing opportunities for Philadelphians to experience performances and discover new artists right in their neighborhood. Past performances have included plays, including Shakespeare-in-the-Park, circus arts, hip-hop dance, storytelling, ballet, opera, silent film with live music accompaniment, an interactive “Sing-In”, and more. Last year, OACCE produced 39 performances at 17 sites, with at least two performances taking place in every council district. The 2018 application will include a list of 36 pre-approved sites from which applicants can choose, more than half of which are new for this year.
The 2017 season supported 24 artists with 14 of them being first-time applicants. For this upcoming season, OACCE is looking to increase the number of new artists it will reach and work with in response to the call. “There are thousands of artists and arts organizations in Philadelphia, and only a fraction of them have applied in the past,” said Chief Cultural Officer Kelly Lee. “We are encouraging artists we haven’t worked with yet to apply this year. This is a great opportunity to share your talent with a new space and a new audience.”
For guidelines and the application, visit http://creativephl.org/pps/
This call is a major part of OACCE’s overall effort to provide enriching arts-infused experiences to children, youth, and adults while supporting and promoting the artists, programs, cultural groups and arts organizations that deliver those experiences.
About Arts in Action
Arts in Action is the initiative under which the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy presents arts and cultural experiences throughout Philadelphia. This includes Culture on Tap, which presents music during the Parks on Tap beer garden; Performances in Public Spaces, which supports performances and cultural experiences in outdoor spaces in neighborhoods across the city in the warmer months; and Culture in Neighborhoods, year-round performances and other cultural opportunities in City-owned community spaces including Recreation Centers, Libraries, Older Adult Centers, and Community Schools. For more information on Arts in Action and each of these series, visit: www.CreativePHL.org/ArtsinAction.
About City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy supports and promote arts, culture and the creative industries; develops partnerships that ensure culture and creativity are essential components of Philadelphia’s community revitalization, education, and economic development strategies; and links Philadelphians to cultural resources and opportunities. For more information about the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, visit: www.CreativePHL.org, Facebook.com/CreativePHL and on Twitter @CreativePHL and Instagram @CreativePHL.