ARTS and SACRED PLACES (cont.)
The Church of the Holy
Trinity, Rittenhouse Square,
Philadelphia, PA, hosts an
exhibition and sale featuring 50
accomplished visual artists from
the Greater Philadelphia region.
Photo by Kim Senior.
each organization and congregation is unique, and
partnerships will always be based on an analysis of the
specific needs and capacities of each group.
“Many sacred places across
[Philadelphia] have created a
welcoming environment that
extends through their congregants
to embrace a wide range of
community interests.”
Nathea Lee, Kùlú Mèlé African Dance &
Drum Ensemble
Study Methodology
The planning phase of the study involved a sampling of
congregations and arts organizations within Center City
Philadelphia. Partners and CultureWorks selected arts
groups based on specific criteria: long-term existence,
the regular production of multiple yearly events, and
lack of a home space.
An initial 100 potential participants was narrowed to 40
sacred places and 30 arts groups; of these, leaders of 23
congregations and 18 arts groups participated in two15 • Sacred Places • www.sacredplaces.org • Summer 2011
hour formal interviews, run by CultureWorks, about
their history, mission, finances, and personnel. Lastly,
an online survey was created to collect perspectives
from congregants and audiences.
In addition to interviews with arts groups, Partners
initiated conversations with six arts organizations
that have long-standing, successful partnerships with
sacred places; each reported that their host plays a key
role in their organizational life. As Nathea Lee, the
Managing Director of Kùlú Mèlé African Dance & Drum
Ensemble, explains, “Many sacred places across the city
have created a welcoming environment that extends
through their congregants to embrace a wide range of
community interests. Summit Presbyterian Church in
Mt. Airy [where Kùlú Mèlé’s office is based] is just one
example and we appreciate being part of the dynamic
community of arts and human service organizations
that has found a home here.”
Case Studies
CultureWorks also conducted special case studies
in three areas. They first looked at visual arts
organizations and practitioners. Interviews with these
groups made it clear that they have characteristics
that set them apart from performing arts groups. For
example, visual \