Philadelphia Arts Sector Needs More Support, Survey Finds

Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance outlines key areas of concern as city drafts comprehensive cultural plan.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A new survey by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance reveals that the city's arts and culture sector is vibrant but faces significant challenges that require more support and investment. The survey, called Cultural Dynamics, gathered feedback from over 500 people in the local creative community on the current state of the arts in Philadelphia and ways to strengthen the city's arts experience.

Why it matters

As Philadelphia prepares to draft its first comprehensive cultural plan, the Cultural Dynamics survey provides valuable insights into the needs and priorities of the local arts and culture sector. The findings highlight the importance of unifying the creative community, amplifying the visibility of the arts, and committing long-term, equitable resources to sustain and grow the city's cultural assets.

The details

The Cultural Dynamics survey was born out of a 2024 summit where arts and culture leaders discussed the role of the arts in civic life. The survey gathered feedback through four community conversation sessions held across different neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Participants were asked about the strengths and challenges of the local creative community, as well as their ideas for improving the city's arts experience. The alliance report boiled down the feedback into three key calls to action: unify, amplify, and invest.

  • The Cultural Dynamics summit was held in 2024.
  • The survey was conducted through four community conversation sessions in 2025.
  • The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance will host a live webinar on February 17, 2026 to further explain the survey findings.

The players

Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

A nonprofit organization that serves as an advocate and resource for the arts and culture sector in the Philadelphia region.

Patricia Aden Wilson

President and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

Laurie Zierer

Executive director of PA Humanities.

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What they’re saying

“Cultural Dynamics shows what's possible when we start with listening. By centering public dialogue and lived experience, this process ensured that voices from across Philadelphia's cultural community helped shape the foundation for the city's first cultural plan.”

— Laurie Zierer, Executive director of PA Humanities (whyy.org)

“We set out to understand the challenges they confront every day, as well as the breadth of assets, creativity and lived expertise that exists in every neighborhood across our city.”

— Patricia Aden Wilson, President and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (whyy.org)

What’s next

The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and its partners will host a live webinar on February 17, 2026 to further explain the findings of the Cultural Dynamics survey.

The takeaway

The Cultural Dynamics survey highlights the vibrancy of Philadelphia's arts and culture sector, but also the need for more unified support, increased visibility, and long-term investment to sustain and grow the city's cultural assets. As Philadelphia prepares to draft its first comprehensive cultural plan, the survey provides a valuable roadmap for addressing the sector's key challenges and priorities.