Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Just in time for the opening of the Barnes Foundation’s Philadelphia campus on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the City of Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and 14 other civic and cultural partners today launched the city’s first-ever coordinated and sustained visual arts marketing campaign called With Art Philadelphia™. The two-year, $2 million (to date) campaign aims to leverage the energy of the Barnes Foundation opening in order to generate sustained attention on one of the world’s great art destinations, draw new and engaged audiences and spur overnight stays from visitors worldwide. With Art encourages visitors to curate

The culturally rich Benjamin Franklin Parkway got even richer when the Barnes Foundation debuted its relocated collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings in May 2012, and visitors want to take advantage of the opportunity to visit the many museums and cultural institutions that line the mile-long stretch. Read on for insider tips on how to tour the Parkway, including the scoop on free and discounted admission hours, late-night happenings, behind-the-scenes tours and only-in-Philly experiences.

Money-Saving Tips:

1. One of the many benefits of the Barnes Foundation’s move to the Ben Franklin Parkway is its ability to provide members

Philadelphia boasts a national reputation as an ideal place to buy art of all kinds and in all price ranges, so buyers don’t have to be a Rockefeller—or a Rittenhouse—to get in on the action. The art community in Philadelphia prides itself on being friendly and inviting, welcoming even novice buyers to take the first steps toward establishing a lifelong love of art collecting. Residents and visitors can find art for sale in galleries, collectives and even local coffee shops. The region’s art schools count future stars among its ranks, and their current work sells for much less than it

Latino art thrives in Philadelphia, and it’s available for sale at galleries and museums around town. Want a Frida Kahlo print for the living room? It’s waiting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In the market for an original oil painting in the magical realism style of Orlando Quevedo? The Cuban artist’s NoLibs gallery delivers. Maybe only a Day of the Dead doll will do? Eyes Gallery offers just the thing. Here’s a look at where to buy Latino art in Philadelphia:

• A visit to the community-based arts and cultural organization Taller Puertorriqueño means a visit to its Julia de

Art collector and progressive thinker Dr. Albert Barnes was committed to showing the influence of African art on modern Western artists—a practice that’s evident in the unique wall ensembles he arranged at his famed Barnes Foundation. Today, these still-in-tact arrangements, which boldly show the cross-cultural connections of art, are lauded throughout the art community. Area art institutions honor Barnes’ early push to recognize artistic expression from across the Diaspora by showing off their African and African-American art offerings. Here’s a look at what’s on view both permanently and temporarily:

African Art:

• Dr. Albert Barnes’ interest in African art dates

The following itinerary is available on visitphilly.com/artlovers:

LOCATIONS: Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Avenue of the Arts, Old City in Philadelphia

TRANSPORTATION: Foot, taxi, bus

DURATION: Three days and two nights

TRIP SYNOPSIS: Philadelphia is an art lover’s kind of town—one that’s bursting with beauty on the inside and out. The region boasts one of the country’s top five art museums, the world’s greatest collection of Impressionist works, an internationally lauded public arts initiative and some under-the-radar gems, all waiting to be explored, experienced and pondered at a pace that’s all your own.

FRIDAY:
Fuel Up
9:00 a.m. – Enjoy breakfast

Just near the renowned institutions that line the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia’s Fairmount and Spring Garden neighborhoods are often lumped together and dubbed the “Art Museum area,” but the personalities of these laid-back districts separate them from nearby Center City.

Fairmount easily stands on its own as a destination in Philadelphia. Despite its proximity to downtown, the residential neighborhood is considered a sort of urban suburb, thanks to the friendly residents and atmosphere. What to do here? Eat, drink and tour the former prison-turned-attraction. Wedged between the cultural powerhouses of the Parkway and the better-known Fairmount, Spring Garden distinguishes itself

Throughout the Philadelphia region, art spills out of galleries and into the great outdoors. Many of the region’s galleries and museums are set amid colorful gardens, quiet woodlands or serene meadows that accentuate the art found on the walls. One of the most anticipated museum openings ever in Philadelphia, the Barnes Foundation—renowned for its monumental collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings—has equally impressive open space and gardens for visitors to enjoy. Despite its expansive 93,000-square-foot new home, the Barnes features intimate settings, including indoor and outdoor gardens that accent its many masterpieces.

Here’s a look at some

CAMPAIGN NAME: With Art Philadelphia™

TAGLINE: Curate Your Own Experience

CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW & CREATIVE CONCEPT: Philadelphia’s first-ever coordinated and sustained visual arts marketing initiative, With Art Philadelphia aims to position the city as a top arts destination and draw more visitors to see and explore the vast and varied arts scene.

The series of advertisements describes a variety of ideal art-focused days and nights in Philadelphia and encourages visitors to take advantage of the many art offerings available within close proximity of one another. Each ad poses the question: How do you curate the most artistic mile in the country?

With the recent opening of the Barnes Foundation, the already-compelling cultural district along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia has become the focus of the art world. To tell the whole story of the parkway and the city, a growing list of organizations have partnered for the city’s first-ever coordinated and sustained visual arts marketing campaign called With Art Philadelphia™. Leaders from the partnering organizations—including the City of Philadelphia, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and the Barnes Foundation—discuss the campaign, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Philly’s place as one of the world’s premier art destinations:

City of Philadelphia: