arts & business council

MetLife National Arts Forums Series

Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Gifts The New Philadelphia: Powered by the Imagination of the Creative and Business Communities
05/11/2005

Panelists:

• Karen Davis, President & CEO, Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
• Richard Bendis, President & CEO, Innovation Philadelphia
• John Claypoll, Executive Director, American Institute of Architects (Philadelphia)
• Ian Cross, CEO, I-Site
• Matthew Fisher, President, Night Kitchen Media
• Kelly Lee, Vice President of Community & Economic Development, Innovation Philadelphia
• Neil Kleinman, Dean, College of Media & Communication, The University of the Arts

Panelists and attendees addressed what is being done to improve upon the creative assets of the Greater Philadelphia region and how the cultivation of a creative economy will translate into regional growth. The Greater Philadelphia region has a rich history and tremendous assets to support a growing creative economy. Yet having these assets alone will not create economic growth if there is no collaboration and connectivity among its partners, understanding or measurement of the assets, or learning of best practices from one another. Therefore, a continued collaboration of the creative and business communities is imperative for a stronger economy for the Greater Philadelphia region.

The nonprofit arts and cultural community faces the challenge of achieving a level playing field with the for-profit community and being recognized by the business sector for the impact their artistic contributions can have as an economic driver in the region. 

There is also the continuous hurdle of organizational capacity for the nonprofit arts and cultural community—finding the time, manpower, and expertise just to address operational improvements and solution generation. Considering long-term resolutions and participating in regional efforts is often secondary to managing immediate tasks and solving current challenges. However, if the arts can educate the business community about the nonprofit arts community’s easy access to programs, services, and resources that are critical to the development of the creative economy, there can be significant progress for the region and the arts will gain more supporters because they will be seen as true partners and not just in need of support.

The arts community will further prosper by employing proven operational practices and methods to improve their fiscal heath. Knowledge of such practices can be gained by better engendering relationships with leaders in business and involving them in the process of identifying needs, creating partnership opportunities, and resolving problems that improve the region’s economy and spur the cycle of success. 

Establishing this synergy will elevate the perception of the arts community in the eyes of the business world, which will further recognize its merits as an economic driver and an integral component of a thriving, world-class region.