Tomorrow Is Election Day. Go Vote!

Tomorrow is Election Day, and despite the many accolades that the Philadelphia region has received over the past several months, we face significant challenges to being a place that we can all be proud of. From the school funding crisis to the objectively high poverty rates, there are many complex problems to be solved, and we hope the people who are elected will know and understand the great tool that arts and culture can be in addressing these issues.

Exposure to arts and culture fosters civic engagement. The arts spark innovation and invite the observer or participant to think creatively about ways to make our communities stronger. Children who actively participate in the arts are more likely to be civically-minded, exhibit concern for social justice and to graduate from college. Communities with high levels of cultural activity are more stable, more diverse and less prone to violence.  

The connection between the arts and civic engagement can be no better demonstrated than through the correlation between participation in the arts and voting. The Cultural Alliance’s own data showed that in the 2010 gubernatorial election 75% of arts participants voted, compared to only 47% of the general population. Additionally, in the 2008 Presidential election overall turnout in Pennsylvania was 69% but turnout for arts participants was 89%.

So make sure that tomorrow, May 19, you continue this trend and not only to take the time to vote, but also to encourage your family, friends and co-workers to do the same! 

For more information on the candidates and to create your own ballot click here. 

For help finding your polling place, click here.

The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions.