Philadelphia Orchestra Ensemble Arts Philly Governor's Brochure
Our world-class organization is the anchor of cultural life in Philadelphia, a beacon for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and a model for the nation.
Activity generated in our buildings exceeds that of almost all major American performing arts centers. The significance and influence of our organization is widely demonstrated—sold-out crowds across our three iconic buildings and a nearly half-billion-dollar economic impact on the commonwealth each year.
We are the linchpin to downtown Philadelphia and a powerful magnet for new business development and tourism dollars. With talented artists who reflect the diverse interests of our region, we represent a wide variety of genres including our GRAMMY®-winning Philadelphia Orchestra, Broadway, comedy, theater, jazz, dance, and family presentations, and bring our great city together to ensure the performing arts remain accessible to all and a critical civic asset for generations to come.
Guiding the stewardship and preservation of these buildings through thoughtful restoration and investment is of vital importance to protect the legacy of these cultural icons.
The Academy of Music
est. 1857
As the original home of The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Academy of Music serves as a primary venue for Philadelphia Ballet, Opera Philadelphia, and Ensemble Arts’s Broadway series. It also hosts annual bookings including graduations and award ceremonies.
At 168 years old and a National Historic Landmark, the Academy has undergone external and internal restoration and maintenance to preserve its historic integrity and defining features. A recent project includes balconies on Broad and Locust Streets, which received recognition of excellence from the Philadelphia Preservation Alliance in 2023.
The Miller Theater est. 1918
For over a century, this iconic venue has served as Philadelphia’s most continuous location for touring Broadway shows. This historic building recently underwent a transformative $6M facelift, including the replacement of nonhistoric windows with a more appropriately stylistic design, removal of the Exterior Insulation Finishing Systems (EIFS) parapet added in the mid 1980s, a marquee refurbishment, and a new facade paint scheme that highlights original sgraffito panels.
The
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts est. 2001
Internationally recognized for its innovative steel-and-glass barrel vault roof arching over the three-story Commonwealth Plaza, the Plaza’s light-filled atrium was designed to allow two of the Kimmel Center’s performance halls— Marian Anderson Hall and Perelman Theater— to be treated each as free-standing “buildings” within this vast indoor space.
As the Kimmel Center approaches its quartercentury milestone, comprehensive repairs and upgrades to sustain the integrity of critical building systems remains a high priority to ensure that it—along with the Academy of Music and Miller Theater—will continue to flourish as a cultural, community, and economic engine for our city, our region, and our commonwealth far many years to come.
Annual Economic Impact
1,000+ EVENTS AND 1M VISITORS ANNUALLY
OPERATING BUDGET $130M
ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM VISITOR SPENDING $181M
$455M IN ANNUAL IMPACT FOR COMMONWEALTH (from performances, operations, and ancillary spending)
$10 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT SINCE 2001
4,000 JOBS AND 23 UNIONS SUPPORTED
$15M TAX REVENUE
• Our activity generates 70% of the entire regional performing arts economic impact.
• Since the Kimmel Center opened in 2001, it has generated nearly $10 billion in economic impact for the commonwealth.
• Visitors to our venues spend 3x more than those to other attractions or sports venues.
• 20% of our audiences are visitors to the region, generating significant tourism dollars.
• For every dollar spent, we generate $3.75 for the commonwealth.
Investment in these landmarks is of vital importance to protect the legacy of our region and will catalyze strong investment returns.
Government Support for National Performing Arts Centers
1857:
The Academy of Music opens. Designed by architects Napoleon Le Brun and Gustav Runge, its design was intended to reflect the grand ambition and pride of Philadelphia’s city fathers. From Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff to Marian Anderson and Luciano Pavarotti, the best of the best have performed here.
1900:
The Philadelphia Orchestra is founded and decades later becomes the first symphony orchestra to make electrical recordings (1925); have its own national radio show (1929); and record the soundtrack to Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia
1956:
The Shubert Theatre (now the Miller Theater) became the pre-Broadway tryout location for many shows, like Mr. Wonderful starring Sammy Davis, Jr., and Chita Rivera.
2001:
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts opens and begins operating as the new home of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Designer Rafael Viñoly’s steel-and-glass vault reshapes Philly’s skyline and earns acclaim.
2004:
The Kimmel Center begins presenting the best of touring Broadway at the historic Academy of Music.
2012:
Yannick Nézet-Séguin becomes the eighth music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra.
2021:
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. merge, boldly leading the way in building a bright, inclusive future for the performing arts— as the center of cultural life in Philadelphia and a model for the nation.
2024:
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’s main concert hall, and home of The Philadelphia Orchestra, is rededicated as Marian Anderson Hall in honor of the legendary contralto, civil rights icon, and Philadelphian.
2024:
Ensemble Arts Philly is launched as the new presenting brand for Broadway, jazz, family, and comedy programming.
The Philadelphia Orchestra 125
years of extraordinary sound.
Infused with Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s singular sense of joy and exploration, The Philadelphia Orchestra embraces a 21st-century vision of music, welcoming the world’s biggest artists and rising stars, and spotlights today’s brightest composers whose work reflects the ever-evolving landscape of classical music.
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s home—the newly rededicated Marian Anderson Hall—serves as a permanent monument to its namesake’s artistry and achievements and inspires our ongoing commitment to continue forging the bright, inclusive future she helped to engender, one in which the arts are for everyone.
Through concerts, national and international tours, residencies, and recordings, the Orchestra is a global ambassador and one of our nation’s greatest cultural exports.
“… the enthusiasm released by the conductor and his musicians is irresistible … Impossible to remain unmoved in the face of such a show of force!”
Multi-Genre Programming
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts is home to a wide-range of programming spanning performances by the best of touring Broadway, beloved family productions, iconic jazz performers, comedy legends, and an array of speakers and musicians. Our free Plaza performances are at the heart of the local community, attracting spectators of all ages and backgrounds.
Broadway
Education Programs
A comprehensive offering of FREE music, theater, and cultural expression programs that celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of our community.
SERVING 38k STUDENTS AND 400+ SCHOOLS ANNUALLY
Resident Arts Organizations
The Academy of Music is home to:
• Opera Philadelphia
• Philadelphia Ballet
WE PROUDLY HOST
RESIDENT ART COMPANIES
Perelman Theater is home to:
• PHILADANCO!
• The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia
• Philadelphia Chamber Music Society
• Curtis Institute of Music
Events & Attendance
Attracts approximately 1 MILLION GUESTS
Approximately 100K+ attend a FREE event annually = 1,000 Guests to OVER 1,000 EVENTS
Mission
To share the transformative power of the performing arts and arts education with the widest possible audience.
Vision
To inspire and connect humanity with exceptional performances and experiences serving Philadelphia and the world
Values
• AUTHENTIC: We communicate openly and honestly and act with acceptance, integrity, and respect.
• COLLABORATIVE: We are conveners, bringing people, institutions, and ideas together.
• EXCEPTIONAL: We are committed to quality and innovation. We engage our audiences and communities with exceptional experiences.
• INCLUSIVE: We seek and value diverse perspectives, modeling equity and access in all we do. We pursue diversity on and off our stages. Our cultural institutions are an essential national resource; they must be kept strong.
—Ronald Reagan
—Lyndon Johnson
Photos: Joan Marcus, Dario Calmese, Autumn de Wilde, Deen van Meer, Steve Ridzon Photography, Morgan Horell, Creative Outfit, Jessica Griffin, Jeff Fusco, Allie Ippolito, Pete Checchia, Margo Reed.
