PNC Jolts Local Arts Scene with PNC ARTS ALIVE, a $5 Million Funding Program

What’s more positive than a Bank’s foundation funding 23 different Philadelphia and South Jersey arts organizations this year to the tune of $1 million in a down economy? The Bank is PNC and Simon PR is lucky to have worked with the philanthropic corporate leader since 2000. Pinch me!

“PNC opens the vault for 23 arts groups.” That’s the headline on Philadelphia Inquirer arts writer Stephen Salisbury’s article in yesterday‘s paper. It’s our job in this enviable partnership to draw mass media coverage of PNC Arts Alive, the monumental five year $5 million program. Thanks to longtime Simon PR media relations ace Beverly Volpe, there was a deluge of local market TV, radio and print coverage in the last 24 hours. What better way to let the entire Region know about this positive endeavor?

Our media blitz came a few months after PNC Arts Alive was introduced to the market in April. Arts groups submitted their applications in June. Yesterday’s festivities were in celebration of the 23 winning groups and their projects, all designed to make art more accessible to wider and more diverse audiences in our Region.

In an arty public ceremony in the lobby of the PNC tower at 1600 Market Street, representatives of the arts groups were called to a dais and awarded berets by PNC President Bill Mills. A lovely, intimate luncheon in the Bank’s event facility followed.

“It’s hard to know where PNC begins and Simon PR ends, they’re such wonderful partners and I’d like to recognize and thank Lisa Simon and Beverly Volpe from Simon PR.” Those words spoken at the podium by PNC Chief of Staff Jean Canfield will resonate with me for a very long time. I’m still choked up. For a small agency that thrives behind-the-scenes, this is a big slice of positive pie for us to relish for a very long time. We wholeheartedly welcome the opportunity to support this great company and the creative, dynamic individuals at the helm who have created PNC Arts Alive. They are positively impacting our community in Philadelphia and South Jersey in ways too numerous to measure. But, of course, we will try. . . –Lisa Simon

2009 PNC Arts Live Grantees:

Arts Groups

Appel Farm Arts & Music Center
Bay Atlantic Symphony
Cape May Stage
Fabric Workshop and Museum
Greater Philadelphia Film Office
Group Motion Dance Theater
James A. Michener Art Museum
Kimmel Center
Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts
Mural Arts Program
Pennsylvania Ballet
Philadelphia Folklore Project
Philadelphia Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and The Pam Band
Philadelphia Young Playwrights
Spiral Q Puppet Theater
Wilma Theater

Service Partners:

Art & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
City of Philadelphia, Office of Arts and Culture and the Creative Economy
South Jersey Cultural Alliance

Home Sweet Philly

While growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, I always knew I wanted to live in the big city one day. So when that time finally came, I was intent on finding the right spot to call home.

Philadelphia is comprised of numerous neighborhoods, each with their own distinct personality. Center City is all about the hustle and bustle, while the posh Rittenhouse Square boasts a Parisian-style plaza and high-end boutiques, and the up-and-coming Northern Liberties is a hub for artists and musicians.

All of these areas are wonderful places to reside, but I was on the hunt for a community that paralleled my own disposition. My greatest love in life besides traveling is food, and when Bella Vista, home of the delectable Italian Market, was mentioned, my ears perked up, my stomach growled, and my decision was made.

Settled by Italian immigrants in the late 1800’s, Bella Vista, Italian for “beautiful sight,” is a historic neighborhood in South Philadelphia bordered by South and Wharton streets to the north and south, and 6th and 11th streets to the east and west. The old is blended with the new to create a cozy community with pocket parks, quaint row homes and my favorite-- the Italian Market.

The century-old, open-air Italian Market, nestled in the heart of Bella Vista, is famous for its food—from vegetables straight from the vine and fish from nearby ports to a multitude of gourmet cheeses, fresh-baked pastries, and fine-cut meats. Cafes, coffee shops with character, and gourmet restaurants line the streets, offering authentic Italian fare as well as International flavors and traditional Philly cheese steaks.

Come August 1, my childhood aspiration will turn into reality. We discovered a charming row house with restored original oak floors, exposed brick walls, and a view of the city skyline. It is perched along a tree-lined street in Bella Vista, and most importantly, just steps from the Italian Market. Home Sweet Philly.

-Meredith Wertz

Lincoln Has Philly Talking

I had a great conversation with Abraham Lincoln today.

We talked about how Philadelphia was a hub, inspiration and support system for him back in the day. I expected his intelligence, his quiet intensity. What I didn’t expect was his unabashed enthusiasm. I should have known that our 16th president visited our city more than any other during his presidency. And he’s looking forward to a return trip this week, when he’ll greet the hordes flocking here to celebrate Independence Day in the best place in the world—Philadelphia, where liberty was born.

On Thursday morning, I’ll take Abe to Fox TV’s Good Day Philadelphia. He’s appearing live at 8:30 am to talk about his love of the City and the love he’s about to get back through Lincoln 200--the city’s official celebration of his 200th birthday.

Lincoln is actually Robert ‘Fritz’ Klein, the nation’s foremost Lincoln interpreter. And I couldn’t be more excited to have him on television so Philadelphia can get to know him, and the massive Lincoln 200 festival, filled with fun, education and entertainment.

Fritz fell into playing Lincoln by chance. Believe it or not, he was a landscaper in Hawaii and acting on the side when somebody noticed that he’s a dead ringer for Lincoln. It was 1976 and with all the U.S. Bicentennial events going, it was a great time to start his career as Honest Abe.

Fast forward 33 years. Fritz lives in Springfield, Illinois and travels around the country portraying the Great Emancipator. And this year—the Bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth—bookings are especially good.

Fritz’s is just one of the hundreds of interesting stories behind Lincoln 200, which goes well beyond the history books to tell Lincoln’s story—showcasing his life, his work, his interests and his influence.

There’s something for everyone at the Festival which runs through July 5 on Independence Mall. Want to be entertained? Check out the play, “My Dear Mrs. Lincoln,” watch the Lincoln Bicentennial Tap Celebration as incredible dancers pay tribute to tap’s origins in slavery, or “Ask Abe” (aka Fritz) your burning questions. Are you a science buff? You’ll love the College of Physicians’ forensic look at the Lincoln assassination (I can’t wait for that one!) and the Academy of Natural Sciences’ Hadrosaurus Foulkii dinosaur, which was found in Haddonfield a year prior to Lincoln’s election.

If you’ve got little ones, then Lincoln for Kids is the place to be for make and take crafts, face painting, jugglers, stilt walkers and of course, Lincoln Logs!

And, if you’re purely a history buff like I am, you’ve got to see the locket containing a lock of Lincoln’s hair, a cast of his face and hands and a large swath of the flag he raised at Independence Hall in 1861, all from the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia.

Lincoln 200 is a labor of love of two incredible women—Dianne Semingson, a good friend of Simon PR’s since our days representing the YMCA of Philadelphia & Vicinity and Mary Hagy, a new friend and one who is incredibly passionate about keeping our city’s civil war history riches right where they belong—in Philadelphia.

The two are founders of the Civil War History Consortium and Lincoln 200. Their mission: to help our region realize a new tourism opportunity in the story of Philadelphia as the engine that drove the Union victory at Gettysburg and nationally.

In an op-ed that Simon PR placed about Lincoln 200 in The Philadelphia Inquirer they wrote: “It will whet the appetites of the million or more expected to visit Independence Mall over the July 4 weekend. It will also set the stage for the region’s long-planned commemoration of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary set to begin in 2011. By 2015, we look forward to the road between Philadelphia and Gettysburg being worn bare by busloads of tourists eager to experience the state’s rich Civil War history.”

In the meantime, there will be boatloads of tourists and area residents alike on Independence Mall this weekend for Lincoln 200. I hope they all get to talk to Abe, and walk away as excited as I am to discover his Philadelphia story.

-Bev Volpe

Philly's Comic Scene

Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound… even typing it gives me chills. When I received my first comic book at age 8, the larger-than-life morality plays captivated my imagination. It still holds true today, as my twin brother and I have thousands of comic books between us.

And much to my mother’s – and my wife’s – chagrin, I’m not the only one. That was extremely apparent as the city hosted Wizard World Philly, a three-day event celebrating comics, sci-fi, anime and more. It’s sponsored by Wizard, the penultimate magazine of comics, entertainment and pop culture. Over 30,000 people attended the event last weekend, which celebrated its 11th year in Philly.

Now you might wonder, “Who attends these events? And do they still live above their parent’s garage?” While there are many hard core fans who dress up for these events, many are like me, who grow up enjoying the stories they read, imagining themselves alongside the Star-Spangled Sentinel of Liberty fighting threats to the American Dream, or skulking just beyond the shadows of the alleys of Gotham City, bringing justice to evil doers. And as I grew up, the stories and characters matured as well, with intricate story plots and complex heroes and villains.

There is no cooler place to get your comics than on the streets of Philly. When I worked in Old City, I looked forward to Wednesdays, the best day of the week for comic book fans, as new issues come in that day. I’d quickly walk from 8th and Pine to Atomic City Comics on South Street, where Joe and Mr. McIntyre would give me a warm greeting and hand me my comics from my pull list. Yes, I reserve my comics. It’s like valet parking for geeks. And it’s awesome. You’ll never miss an issue.

There are plenty of places to get your fix. From Fat Jack’s to Brave New Worlds, a comic book store in Philadelphia is just a short walk away. And from there, your imagination can take you beyond the City of Brotherly Love to worlds of excitement and wonder, just with a turn of a page.

- Frank Sinatra

Celebrating 19 years of blooming relationships and business

Today is Simon PR’s 19th Anniversary. One of the mainstays of my public relations grounding in Philadelphia has been the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA.) I’ve belonged for longer than Simon PR has been around and it’s been the place where my love of our profession has been anchored. In the late eighties, employers paid for professional association memberships so I have Earle Palmer Brown & Spiro and Ketchum PR to thank – they both generously picked up the tab for membership and I couldn’t be more appreciative.

After I hung out my shingle and started Simon PR back on June 18, 1990, PPRA became more and more important to me. Simon PR’s first office was one room in the Foremost Building at the corner of 4th and South Street. We (just me) were on the 3rd floor, which was the Building’s most unsavory. Simon PR’s HQ was located in between an escort service and fight promoters and across the hall from a bar tending school and telemarketing firm where the furloughed staff came to work during the day and went back to jail at night. PPRA became an extended professional family, one that took the place of colleagues, staff and bosses.

Quickly, there were more people at the Agency and a few weeks before my son Max was born in 1992, we moved to the Lafayette Building at the corner of 5th and Chestnut where we spent 12 years before moving to our current home in The Bellevue. By this time, I had begun to cultivate mentors, supporters and professional friends, many through PPRA, in the little time I had after killing myself at the business and taking care of my growing family.

By the mid 90s, I started climbing my way up PPRA’s leadership ladder, first as a workshops chair, then membership chair, Gold Medal Award co-chair. I held most every post before my Presidency in 2004-2005 and Chairmanship in 2005-2006. I even led a team that overhauled our bylaws after I was Chair – how necessary, but not exactly the sexiest post! And I still continue to volunteer and lead programs.

As Simon PR’s business became more sophisticated and more stable, many PPRA relationships blossomed into business relationships. In truth, over the years, PPRA members have become wonderful friends of course, but also clients, staff, contractors, vendors and great, generous resources. One day I might even like to buy an agency owned by a fellow member. We hired a terrific new Account Executive this month and the fact that she is a PPRA member made her a stronger candidate than the people she outshined. These were never the reasons for belonging to PPRA, it’s just the way it evolved. And many PPRA members will tell you similar stories.

Just this week, I had lunch with one of my PPRA mentors. She’s recruiting me for a prestigious Philadelphia cultural board and advising me on a number of fronts. Tuesday was the Association’s trip to New York City where we had a once-in-a-lifetime, behind-the-scenes tour of the “CBS Evening News” and met with several high level PR pros, who are implementing innovative programs on a global and national stage. Today we have a workshop on social media, which is being led by two of our impressive young guns. It doesn’t get better than this!

But I guess nothing brings a lump to my throat and warms my heart more than having recently been invited to Sharla Feldscher’s 25th Anniversary celebration on the Moshulu. Finding oneself at the party of a competitor is more proof of the bond that forms among the members of PPRA. And Sharla and her business couldn’t be more impressive. She has accounts now that we used to handle. We have some that might have been hers. She’s referred business to us. We’re sharing an account. We used her daughter to assist us with a project and we’ve been friends and have worked with her first cousin, Marilyn Kleinberg, for more than 22 years. This is just one example. I couldn’t be more positive about PPRA and Philadelphia and what they have meant to Simon PR.

If you read this Blog and would like to celebrate Simon PR’s 19th Anniversary – the drink’s on me. Warning: You may have to withstand some passionate reminiscing with a look to the future. I couldn’t be more optimistic.

– Lisa Simon

Aloha Philadelphia: Rediscovering the mainland

After residing for four years on Hawaii’s Big Island amidst palm trees, white sandy beaches and turquoise waters, Philadelphia seemed a daunting, peculiar place to move.

“Why?”

This was repeatedly the immediate response I received from friends, family and acquaintances. And to be honest, I wasn’t confident of an answer myself. A Havertown native, I was ready to return to my roots, right? I packed away my bathing suits and brought out my wool sweaters.

Then, after a long flight to the mainland and a 50-degree drop in temperature, I decided it was time to rediscover Philadelphia.

I spent the morning exploring Old City, where history seeps through the cracks in the cobblestone alleys, and revolutionary buildings whisper secrets of the past. This is where the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were created, where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were first encouraged. This is pretty amazing.

After tossing a penny on Benjamin Franklin’s grave at the Christ Church Burial Ground for good luck and examining the crack in the Liberty Bell out of curiosity, I walked the few short blocks to South Street.

Comprised of rows of eclectic shops, contemporary art galleries and cozy eateries, South Street radiates the same values that were cornerstones of the Declaration of Independence-- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To follow my own pursuit of happiness, my next stop was Jim’s Steaks for a long-awaited, authentic Philly cheese steak, ‘wiz wit’ of course.

While discovering new elements of Philadelphia, the old childhood memories returned-- rollerblading along West River Drive, climbing through the “Heart” at The Franklin and gazing in awe at Macy’s annual Holiday Light Show.

Instead of my purple jellies, I now donned black pumps, but I realized the City continues to hold the perpetual magic. From the Convention Center District with businessman and briefcases to Fairmont Park’s riverside trails and the Parkway’s public art, Philadelphia is truly a diverse city with a multitude of opportunities.

Home of the world champion Phillies and America’s first zoo, this is a city with charming historic homes and modern high-rises, quaint BYOBs and exciting nightlife, and where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are still encouraged.

That's more than enough to draw this native back home.

- by Meredith Wertz

A wave of nostalgia at historic Water Works

I’m a sucker for history. Williamsburg, VA is my favorite place to visit (next to Philly of course), and I can easily get lost for hours in a good historical novel (Michener anyone?). So I fully expected that the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center would satisfy my thirst for nostalgia.

But what I didn’t expect is that this National Historic Landmark is all things Philadelphia—without the soft pretzels.

Inside is a marvel of invention and progress—from 1815 to today. Standing in the pump room next to a huge pipe, I marveled at the engineers who dreamed up technologies to pump water from the Schuylkill to a reservoir atop Faire Mount—where the Art Museum sits today.

Not to be outdone, today’s engineers have created the Fishway, a sort of underwater maze to guide fish upstream—with streaming live video at the Interpretive Center.

All of this technology is housed in a stately federal house on gorgeous grounds. It’s no wonder that this was an international tourist attraction in its heyday. What caught my fancy was a whimsical sculpture—a woman whose arm starts as water, and who seems to be presiding over the activity far below.

And there was plenty of it: a wedding party posing against the scenic backdrop, joggers, and a young teen fishing in solitude.

Art and architecture, technology and nature, tourists and neighbors—I loved finding the essence of Philadelphia in one place in two hours. And the best surprise—parking was plentiful, and free.

- by Beverly Volpe