Philadelphia

Philadelphia has been crowned first in the nation for cultural tourism by the readers of Travel+Leisure Magazine. This creative vitality was the result of a long-term commitment to arts and culture. That investment has been a crucial part of the revitalization of Center City and of downtowns throughout the region. It has made this a better place to live and work, provided critical educational opportunities for our children, and generated more than $150 million annually for city, county, and municipal governments. It's in this context that the budget proposed for Montgomery County is so troubling. Read full story

Phillies Charities awarded more than $1.23 million in grants to the groups in attendance. Among the organizations honored Monday night were Fairmount Park Conservancy and The Mural Arts Program. Read full story

As the go-to photographer for the non-profit arts sector, J.J. Tiziou has seen more of Philadelphia's cultural offerings than perhaps anybody else, through his camera lens. For the last few years he has been working on a dance project called "How Philly Moves". About every six months he holds an open session for anybody--professionals and amateurs, wallflowers and extroverts--to come in and do what comes naturally. Read full story

The shoot at the Philadelphia long-term-care facility was part of Help-Portrait, a national project whose concept is both elegant and powerful: Photographers lend their talent to take portraits of people in need - homeless men, single mothers, Army vets, sick kids, the poor, the disabled, the old and the lonely - and then give them the framed picture. Read full story

Along the west side of Broad Street, on a once-fabled block, the neon beer signs lighting the storefront deli window draw regular traffic. The shuttered Uptown Theater next door, where James Brown once shimmied, Diana Ross cooed, and live bands battled, also, finally, shows signs of life: construction fence, hard-hatted workers, squealing power tools. And come Christmas Eve, there is hope the grand marquee, dark for decades, will shine again. Read full story

Buildings crumble and die virtually daily, and some are so important to the people of the city that their loss is a source of great pain. But historic preservation is usually debated around issues of aesthetics and architectural history, not tattered holes in the community or the cultural fabric. This year, however, the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia is making an important shift in its ninth annual Endangered Properties List. Read full story

After their youngest child finished high school in June, destined for college, Janice and John Potts lost no time bolting from New Jersey. By the end of July, the longtime Haddonfield residents were cheerfully ensconced in a three-bedroom rowhouse near Philadelphia's Washington Square.

After their youngest child finished high school in June, destined for college, Janice and John Potts lost no time bolting from New Jersey. By the end of July, the longtime Haddonfield residents were cheerfully ensconced in a three-bedroom rowhouse near Philadelphia's Washington Square.

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A Curtis graduate has chosen a different musical path, cultivating young talent from poorer areas of the city. Read full story

It can be risky to read too much into a survey like the "America's Favorite Cities" contest by Travel+Leisure Magazine, which just ranked Philadelphia as the top city in the nation for culture. Read full story

The Philadelphia Orchestra has cleared a major hurdle in its bankruptcy proceeding. A previously negotiated agreement between the orchestra's musicians and its administration has passed muster with Judge Eric Frank, who ruled that the three pension funds that had been in place for musicians and staff can be switched to a government-run plan.

The Philadelphia Orchestra has cleared a major hurdle in its bankruptcy proceeding. A previously negotiated agreement between the orchestra's musicians and its administration has passed muster with Judge Eric Frank, who ruled that the three pension funds that had been in place for musicians and staff can be switched to a government-run plan.

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