PHILADELPHIA COLLABORATIVE ARTS CONSORTIUM (PHL CAC)

Shortly after the initial shutdown, in mid-March 2020, of cultural spaces and businesses in Philadelphia due to COVID-19, Christina Vassallo imagined a way for like-minded organizations to bring about social change through artistic practice across the city’s neighborhoods.

The Philadelphia Collaborative Arts Consortium comprises five mid-sized organizations that have come together during a fundamental rethinking of the values underlying what museums do, who they serve, and how they function on the spectrum of wealth, privilege, and need. PHL CAC is committed to long-term collaboration, strategic partnership, and resource sharing while retaining our unique missions. We intend to unify our voices to advance a vital, equitable, community-driven vision for the arts in Philadelphia. We are working to increase and diversify attendance, build capacity, share best practices, and operate more efficiently.

In light of the events of 2020, it is clear that radical transparency—with each other and with the communities we serve—is key to the future sustainability of cultural organizations. We hope to inspire the formation of other arts consortiums in Philadelphia and across the country.

Read more about the beginnings of PHL CAC here: Philadelphia Inquirer, Six innovative Philly museums are forging a future through COVID-19 pact, by Stephan Salisbury (12/27/20). 

PHL CAC MEMBERS
The African American Museum in Philadelphia is dedicated to bringing diverse communities together in greater appreciation of the Black experience through the combined narrative of art, culture, and historical witness. The museum offers a unique perspective on the African diaspora through its exhibitions and an array of educational and public programs.

The Fabric Workshop and Museum is both a creating and presenting institution that provides artists the opportunity to experiment in a veritable living laboratory. Through its AIR program, FWM collaborates with artists to develop exhibitions of new work while preserving the course of artistic production, from inspiration to realization.

Philadelphia Contemporary presents cross-disciplinary art that reflects the diversity and vitality of Philadelphia. It was founded on a dynamic and sustainable model of collaboration and partnership. It is developing a substantial new building as a permanent home, which will be accessible, welcoming, and surprising

Known as El Corazón Cultural del Barrio, Taller Puertorriqueño preserves, develops, and promotes Puerto Rican arts and culture, grounded in the conviction that embracing one’s cultural heritage is central to community empowerment. Taller, which means workshop, is also committed to the representation and support of other Latino cultural expressions and our common root

Woodmere Art Museum offers experiences with the art and artists of Philadelphia. Building on a collection of approximately 8,000 works of art, Woodmere’s exhibitions and education programs connect the history of Philadelphia’s arts to current social and cultural issues. In recent years, Woodmere has worked to develop its grounds as a six-acre experience of art, nature, playful learning, and environmental science.