Gathering the resources to build a permanent Philly Fringe space

Richard Vague

is board president of the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe

Nick Stuccio has a bold vision for the future of the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe, the cutting-edge contemporary arts festival that just wrapped up its 16th successful year. But in building a year-round contemporary arts center on the burgeoning Delaware River waterfront, the producing director is doing something you might not expect: He's playing it safe.

A recent report by the University of Chicago's Cultural Policy Center, "Set in Stone," suggests that too many arts organizations have rushed into expansion projects before establishing funding, a long-term financial plan, or even a well-defined mission.

In a recent Inquirer column on urban arts expansion, Karen Heller pointed out organizations that haven't followed the "Field of Dreams" principle, calling the Fringe "an unqualified success [that] hasn't erected a single shed."

That's all about to change - but this project will be marked by modest renovation and conservative fiscal planning, not the "immense capital expenditures" bemoaned in the Cultural Policy Center report.

As Live Arts board president, I'm excited that we've officially purchased the building that will become the permanent home of the organization, housed in a historic pumping station at Race Street and Columbus Boulevard. By securing a stable headquarters for an organization known since 1997 for bringing boundary-breaking arts experiences to the region, Live Arts will, for the first time, be able to offer 12 months of programming in addition to its annual 16-day festival, which each year draws about 40,000 people from the region and beyond.

Having a year-round presenting platform will allow us to expand our purview, providing even greater and much-needed support to our wonderful local artists. This will happen through our Live Arts Brewery and JumpStart programs as artists develop new work and act as ambassadors for Philadelphia around the globe. We will also continue tapping into national and international booking networks to bring world-class artists to Philadelphia, contributing to our growing reputation as a first-tier city for performance art.

With a 250-seat professional theater space, restaurant and bar, outdoor plaza, business and administrative space, as well as rehearsal studios, our building will provide a meaningful income stream while serving our mission to create social space around contemporary arts.

But we still have work to do: The estimated cost to fully renovate the building into a performing-arts facility is $5.1 million. We already have $4.2 million in contributions and pledges, thanks to the state, foundations, our board, and other friends and supporters. But, in the spirit of conservatism, we won't break ground until we have 90 percent of the total.

To raise an additional $900,000 and move us closer to our goal to launch the new space in time for the 2013 Live Arts Festival, our brand-new capital campaign, chaired by Ajay Raju, allows individuals and institutions to be a part of this great transformation - taking an aging building from unappreciated relic to economically viable center for artistic development and community engagement.

As an entrepreneur and a Philadelphia resident, I want to live in a great city, one that attracts and retains world-class talent. Fostering a high quality of life requires innovators, brilliant minds, and a rich ecology of ideas, art, and culture. With the community's support in getting us over the goal line, we hope to create a cultural anchor, adding to the vitality of Philadelphia as a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.