The Department of Commerce designated the month of March as Creative Economy and Arts in Education Month in Philadelphia! We are committed to supporting Philadelphia creatives with entrepreneurial education while promoting our growth-filled arts, culture, and creative industries.
Artists, cultural nonprofits, and creative businesses produce cultural goods and services that generate jobs, revenue, and quality of life in our great city. Join upcoming events to celebrate the creative contributions of entrepreneurs who are vital to Philadelphia’s economy and culture.
Upcoming events
Resounding Thresholds
Join Raúl Romero as he shares his sound sculpture and installation work inspired by the transmission and migration of sound, the reimagined origins of instruments, and the symbolism they represent. Using nature as a resource that informs his process and material language, this work meditates along the margins of perceived sound.
When: March 1, 2024 – April 14, 2024
Greater Philly Yarn Crawl
Join the 2024 Greater Philly Yarn Crawl, which is the first-ever Philadelphia yarn crawl! A yarn crawl is an organized event giving fiber craft enthusiasts the opportunity to visit the local yarn shops in the area.
When: March 14-17, 2024
Civic Power Workshop Series
Join the Community Journalism for Civic Power Workshop Series! Learn the power of community-centered journalism and how to create stories that impact change. Resolve Philly is partnering with the Community College of Philadelphia and the New School’s Journalism + Design lab to host an 8-week workshop series focused on Community Journalism for Civic Power. Participants will learn the power of community-centered journalism and ways to create and share information that impacts change.
Workshops topics include:
- What’s news to you?
- Intro to Interviewing
- Amplifying community voices
- Designing a news product
- Covering your local government, and more!
This free workshop series will be held weekly on Zoom on Monday evenings (6-8 p.m. EST) starting on March 18 and will culminate in an in-person event. Anyone 18 years and older is welcome to sign up. Registration is limited to 50 participants with a waitlist. Participants who successfully complete this series will earn a certificate of completion from the college!
When: March 18, 2024 to May 6, 2024
Tools of the Trade
Join CraftNOW and NextFab for their second annual Tools of the Trades hybrid conference focused on connecting artisans and makers to business resources in Philadelphia and beyond. This four-day event provides a concentrated period for creative learning to help craft-focused businesses accelerate growth and find success however they choose to define them. Tools of the Trades delivers a variety of programming and materials – lectures, resource directories, and a collaborative event – to address the needs voiced by our creatives running small businesses. The conference strives to emphasize approachability, affordability, and a supportive environment where everyone can come together, and no question goes unanswered.
When: March 20-22, 2024
Fall in Love, Not in Line: The Subversive Power of Comedy & Romance in Film
Join SIFTMedia 215 Collective for a screening of the short film, Tonight, We Eat Flowers written and directed by Bettina Escauriza through the BlackStar Filmmaker Lab. Following the screening will be a presentation and discussion led by the filmmaker, Bettina Escauriza. She will discuss the history of comedic and absurdist filmmaking, and its use by creatives to subvert norms, challenge the mainstream, and upend social conventions. What are the origins of comedy and what role has humor played in shaping society? What are the intersections of comedy and romance in film? Can a prank change the world and make your crush fall in love with you?
When: March 22, 2024
The Second Annual Creative Economy and Arts in Education Celebration
Join the Department of Commerce for the Second Annual Creative Economy and Arts in Education Celebration. The goal of this event is to celebrate creatives and entrepreneurs across Philadelphia while sharing resources that the City and partner organizations offer. We will shine a light on the vibrant creative economy of Philadelphia to build up and support creative entrepreneurs. Join us for an evening of networking, resource sharing, creative activities, an award ceremony, and food!
When: March 28, 2024
Acknowledgements
Thank you to our many partners across City departments and arts and culture organizations that supported the Department of Commerce in planning the Creative Economy and Arts in Education Month Events. Our partners include:
- Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy
- Mayor’s Office of Youth Engagement
- Nerd Street Gamers (LocalHost)
- University of the Arts
- Sunkissed Media
- Immortal Vision Studios
- Indie Life Media
- Philly Fashion Week
- Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
- Project 440
- Big Picture Alliance
- Network for Teaching Entrepreneurs (NFTE)
- Fulton Bank
- Hip Hop Fundamentals
- CraftNow
- NextFab
- Elements of Community, Inc.
- Sriii Consulting
- World Cafe Live
- Pearl’s Girl Production
- 5 Shorts Project
- Know Your Worth Girls, Inc.
- Dominique Nichole Photography
- Rebel Ventures
- 1 Philadelphia
- Coded by Kids
- Cooperative Business Assistance Corporation (CBAC)
- Nancy Marie
