Aesthetes in the Making

The Americans for the Arts convention hits Philadelphia.

by Andrew Thompson

Civic Arts

In 2005, National Geographic Traveler upped Philadelphia's street cred by declaring it the Next Great City. This weekend, D.C.-based nonprofit Americans for the Arts (AFTA) will descend upon our town to further prove its mettle as more than 1,400 arts and civic leaders gather from around the country for AFTA's annual convention. Titled "American Evolution: Arts in the New Civic Life," this year's program will alternate between talks at the Center City Sheraton (on improving community arts programs) and tours of Philly's cultural highlights. Discussions will mostly revolve around strengthening existing arts programs in cities and increasing the size of the arts' blip on the nation's political radar.

AFTA's presence in Philadelphia is a nod to the city's progress as a major arts destination; the organization hasn't elected to hold its convention here since 1983. This is the kind of thing Philly's revitalizers have been begging, spending and smashing up Broad Street for: hundreds of cultural decision-makers gazing upon the city's much-loved landmarks.

"[The location] has to be a place where our members will want to shell out their hard-earned money to come to," said Bob Lynch, AFTA president and CEO. "The obvious thing is that we didn't come to Philly in the past."

Indeed, the city's philanthropists have spent millions to make sure National Geographic and other entities cared about us in the first place. Donors like the Perelmans and the William Penn Foundation (who is sponsoring the convention) have poured funds into landmarks like the new Art Museum annex, Kimmel Center and the Avenue of the Arts.

The city itself also had to lobby for AFTA to come, said Lynch. Arts organizations like the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (GPCA) worked tirelessly to sell Philly as a fit community for the convention and lay down a welcome mat.

"We've always been a major arts city, but we never told the world about it," said Peggy Amsterdam, president of GPCA, which is hosting AFTA. "Now things are better than ever and we have more cultural assets than any city our size."

Inviting this many arts community leaders for three days of wining, dining, shopping and sightseeing is a boon whose effects will be felt for some time to come, just like with other major conventions. The Philadelphia Visitors and Convention Bureau estimates that by the end of the weekend, AFTA will have made Philadelphia about $2.3 million richer — and that's excluding the incalculable benefit of the visitors getting to know the city's art and artists.

"You have 1,400 people becoming Philly enthusiasts, all of whom might send other people back," said Lynch. "If people return, that benefit is an ongoing gift."

The weekend's programming will include sessions with political commentator Donna Brazile and human-rights activist Albie Sachs, plus a keynote address given by trend analyst Andrew Zolli. Philly is also participating in AFTA's new ARTVentures program. From Friday to Sunday, attendees will choose from 14 tours highlighting the city's best art offerings and get a taste for the city at large. "Philly is already a major destination, but it may not be as known for the smaller or hidden-treasure aspects of the city," said Lynch. ARTVentures is designed to reveal every hidden highlight, including a thorough perusal of Fairmount Park and a tour of some 2,800 murals. What better way to show first-time visitors that there's more to Philadelphia art than the Rocky statue?

(andrew.thompson@citypaper.net)