Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

The new Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center, announced today 31 commissions in music, dance, drama and the visual arts, as well as the participation of 111 regional arts and cultural partner organizations collaborating on an expansive and diverse array of programs, performances, events and exhibits occurring throughout Philadelphia in spring 2011.

Kicking off one year from today on April 7, 2011, the 25-day festival will focus on collaboration, innovation and creativity among Philadelphia arts organizations. The $10 million endeavor is funded through a generous grant from The Annenberg Foundation and is the vision

Lights on, curtains up. It’s Philadelphia’s moment, as the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) turns a bright spotlight on the city’s arts and cultural scene. For three weeks, from April 7 through May 1, 2011, audiences will revel in an array of one-time, only-in-Philadelphia productions by some of the region’s top talents—many of whom will partner with or present international performers. PIFA will feature music, dance, fashion, fine arts, poetry, cuisine and more—all generously flavored with the essence of Paris, circa 1910-1920.

Inspired by the Kimmel Center, PIFA promises to be an out-of-the-box arts festival that honors the

The first Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center, will make its mark on the cultural landscape with 31 commissioned works premiering April 7 through May 1, 2011. Commissioned by PIFA and/or by its partners, 44 artists from the worlds of music, dance, film, circus arts, visual arts and theater are collaborating with cultural organizations to create innovative works that capture the inventive, no-holds-barred spirit of Paris: 1910-1920, the inspiration and theme of the 25-day festival.

“Mrs. Leonore Annenberg, who funded the festival through The Annenberg Foundation, had a lifelong interest in advancing arts and

FESTIVAL NAME: Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA)

DATES: April 7 through May 1, 2011

OVERVIEW: The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) creates a place on the world stage for the city’s arts and cultural scene with a three-week festival featuring free and ticketed performances and activities. Inspired by the Kimmel Center, PIFA celebrates the collaboration, innovation and creativity present in every art form. The first-ever festival—centered around the theme “Paris: 1910-1920”—showcases newly commissioned works, unexpected partnerships with both local and international artists and non-traditional and emerging art forms, along with classic performances that will engage residents

The time was 1910 through 1920, the waning days of the “Belle Epoque” (or the “Beautiful Era”). The place was Paris, where a previous generation of artists had already changed the rules with their groundbreaking leap into Impressionism. The City of Lights was a magnet for artistic rebels who reshaped and redefined art, and the atmosphere was one of unprecedented imagination and creativity that would dictate how the world defined and interpreted art for the rest of the
20th century and beyond.

The first-ever Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), April 7-May 1, 2011, takes its inspiration from that

The first-ever Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center, will present a schedule of programs, events and exhibits that is unprecedented in Philadelphia for its scope and diversity.

“The excitement and support we have received from the region’s arts and cultural organizations and civic groups allow us to foster a terrific range of innovative collaborations and creative programming,” says J. Edward Cambron, executive director of PIFA. “We will offer so many different events conceived with so much imagination that our festival is sure to intrigue new and diverse audiences, as well as long-standing arts fans.”

DESCRIPTION: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts destination in the heart of Philadelphia and the centerpiece of the city’s Avenue of the Arts. The Kimmel Center consists of two freestanding performance halls enclosed beneath a spectacular 150-foot vaulted glass ceiling or, in the words of architect Rafael Viñoly, “two jewels inside a glass box.”

Notable architectural facts:

• 61,048 linear feet of structural steel tubing supporting the glass roof
• 1,400 tons of steel supporting the glass end walls
• 156,677 square feet (3.6 acres) of glass glazing

LOCATION: Broad & Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, PA

OPENED: December 16, 2001

In July 2007, Anne Ewers assumed the role of president and CEO of Kimmel Center, Inc., (KCI), the $35 million organization that owns and operates the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, home to eight resident companies presenting a wide range of music, dance and theater offerings, and manages the Academy of Music and Merriam Theater.

During her first year with the Kimmel Center, Ms. Ewers led the company in retiring its $30 million construction debt, raised the endowment from $40 million to $72 million and closed the 2007-2008 fiscal year with a $1.2 million surplus to be used for

In July 2009, the Kimmel Center, Inc. appointed J. Edward Cambron as executive director of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), a city-wide arts and cultural festival inspired by the Kimmel Center. In this role, he oversees all aspects of the annual festival, which will take place April 7 through May 1, 2011. Mr. Cambron comes to PIFA with almost 30 years experience in arts research, management, marketing and development.

Mr. Cambron spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Orchestra Association (POA), where he served in leadership capacities for more than 20 years. After joining the