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The cover of Portfolio. Photo credit: Philadanco photo by R. Kennedy, courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

In late 2006, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance published an outstanding report, the first of its kind in the country, that provides a comprehensive look at the arts in the Philadelphia area. The outcome of a statewide cultural data collection project, Portfolio illustrates a cultural sector that provides 14,000 jobs at 218 local arts organizations, 17,000 volunteer positions, and produces $573 million in annual revenue. "What we found were incredible levels of community engagement, broad accessibility, and a sector that produces tens of thousands of public activities on extremely tight budgets," said Peggy Amsterdam, president of the Cultural Alliance. "But we also identified many organizations that were struggling and could benefit from expanded resources and more diverse funding."

Several key themes emerged from the study, which included data on audiences, revenue figures, employment, and contributed income. As stated previously, arts and culture are significant economic assets for the region. Secondly, Philadelphia-area residents and visitors are thoroughly engaged in arts and culture. Cultural organizations produce 56,000 events annually, which generate 12 million visits. Half of all visits are free, and two out of every five visits are by children. Thirdly, arts organizations run on lean budgets. Two thirds of the organizations studied had less than $1 million in annual revenue, and 47 percent reported that they operate with a budget deficit. Finally, corporate and government support for the sector is low and competition for funding is strong.

This is the first edition of Portfolio, and Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance plans for future editions that will include an analysis of trend data for the sector. The reception of the premier edition has overwhelmed its creators, giving them the sense that cultural leaders in Philadelphia are hungry for the support it provides.  The statewide data collection effort that Portfolio is based on is the Pennsylvania Cultural Data Project (PACDP). The PACDP is a collaborative project of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, The Heinz Endowments, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and William Penn Foundation. “The report will be a valuable tool in helping arts organizations better tell the story of the cultural sector’s impact, assets, and needs, while providing funders and opinion leaders with reliable data that previously did not exist,” according to Marian Godfrey, managing director of Culture and Civic Initiatives at The Pew Charitable Trusts.