On Friday, May 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Philadelphia City Council will hold an expansive hearing on reopening and funding Philadelphia's creative economy. The hearing will feature testimony from venue operators, creative entrepreneurs, heads of arts and culture organizations, independent performers, and technology executives.

It has been quite the past 12 months. Last year, the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy was eliminated by the budget, but the operational functions of the office were transferred to the Managing Director's office. It became the Committee on Global Opportunities and the Creative Innovative Economy, chaired by Councilmember David Oh. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund, housed under the office, did receive $1 million in funding in FY21. It received $3.1 million in FY20. 

Mayor Jim Kenney included $2 million in this year's budget, FY22, for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, still short of usual funding levels. 

So many of you around Philadelphia found amazing ways to continue to create and showcase your work to audiences despite the closed theaters, venues, galleries, clubs, and stages. Pennsylvania announced that it will be dropping all restrictions on May 31 (not yet in Philadelphia). Vaccinations continue to rise. Venues have already begun to announce and book dates for the coming months. The time to restart the creative economy here.