From the
LOVE statue to the
Mural Arts Program to Market Street's massive
Clothespin, Philadelphia has its share of big, urban art projects. But there is more to creating the next big movement in urban arts than making the largest painting or sculpture. So the
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation launched the Knight Arts Challenge, a search looking for urban projects to change the artistic landscape of American cities for the better. Started in Miami, Knight Arts brings it's challenge to Philadelphia this fall.
"We are coming to Philadelphia and it would be presumptuous of us
to say that we know just what you need in the arts," says Knight Arts VP
Dennis Scholl. "So instead of saying that, we're saying we don't know
what Philadelphia's next art idea is and we need you to tell us. It's
not about large institutions only getting grants, people who have been
in the arts forever only getting grants. It's open to everybody in the
community."After three successful years in Miami, the Knight Arts Challenge has spawned poetry collectives and arts education centers and jazz festivals. Philadelphia's challenge, a three-year, $9 million initiative, will provide new funding for established arts institutions, independent artists, businesses, service organizations and anyone else with a great idea and a plan to execute it. The challenge kicks off October 5 with a cocktail reception, where interested artists can find out how they can contribute to Philadelphia's artistic future.
"Philadelphia has two important things going for it: it has incredible, world-class cultural assets," says Scholl. "But in addition to that, Philadelphia has an incredibly hot, steadily rising art scene, with collectives and up-and-coming performance arts groups. And that is really why we were drawn to Philadelphia, because it's kinda happening, frankly."
Source: Dennis Scholl, Knight Arts
Writer: John Steele