tourism : Innovation + Job News

New report details tourism's growing impact on Greater Philadelphia

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, May 17, 2011

For every dollar spent on tourism marketing, Philadelphia sees $100 in revenue, according to a new study highlighting the long term success of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation's ad campaigns. The report, released by Longwoods International, provides dramatic evidence that marketing the city's image is serious business.

But wait, there's more ROI: according to the report, for every dollar spent on advertising, visitor spending created $6 in state taxes and $5 in local municipal taxes, a remarkable ratio of 11:1 in government dollars. Leisure hotel room nights have tripled in Center City, and since 1997, the city welcomes an additional 10 million visitors each year. In 2010, 37 million tourists came not only to see the Liberty Bell and the Rocky statue, but also to sample some of the local cuisine and enjoy the region's arts and culture.

The Power of Destination Marketing, written by Longwoods' CEO Bill Siegel, measures the impact of two tourism efforts in the United States: Pure Michigan and With Love, Philadelphia XOXO. Siegel, who has been charting Philadelphia's tourism marketing since 1995, spent a day in town recently to share the results of his study. "In 1994, Pew commissioned a study to find a replacement industry for job loss," says Siegel, who reports that results of the study pointed to a push for hospitality, something of an intangible in a city formerly known for Stetson hats and Botany 500 suits, among many other world famous manufacturers that closed or relocated in the 20th century.

Philadelphia's tourism marketing budget is between $10-12 million annually, the majority generated by a one percent hotel tax, with other sources that include funding from The Delaware River Port Authority, a regional marketing partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and an assortment of grants. In 2010, tourism was responsible for $8.7 billion in visitor spending here. Siegel says of his findings, "It's an increase that runs against the rest of the nation."

Meryl Levitz, President and CEO of GPTMC, added that the city's post 9/11 campaign, Philly's More Fun When You Sleep Over, was the most successful of any tourism effort in the United States. "Philadelphia does better when times aren't as good." Levitz terms Philadelphia a resilient destination, and credits social media. "In travel, word of mouth is the most important determinant for success," says Levitz, who looks forward to a summer of tourism love, with upcoming events that include Philly Beer Week in June and the annual Welcome America celebration in July.

Source: Bill Siegel, Longwoods International; Meryl Levitz, GPTMC
Writer: Sue Spolan

Gift of $20M in rare manuscripts allows Penn to boost pages, pageviews, hire curator

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, April 19, 2011

University of Pennsylvania alum Larry Schoenberg has been collecting manuscripts for decades, and over the past twenty years has been sharing parts of his collection with scholars at his alma mater. This week, Penn Libraries announced the acquisition of 280 medieval and Renaissance manuscripts from Schoenberg, valued at $20 million, and part of the agreement is the creation of The Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies.

Philadelphia is an international mecca for rare books, with world class collections at The Free Library of Philadelphia (the largest with over 2,000 manuscripts), The Library Company of Philadelphia, The Rosenbach Museum, and Bryn Mawr College. The Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries lists 35 members.

Back at Penn, the goal with the Schoenberg Collection is to digitize the whole thing so that anyone in the world can access these historic documents without having to come to Philadelphia. Right now, the online collection is scattered among several sites, and with the exception of the recently launched Penn in Hand, many of the manuscript indexing pages are difficult to navigate.

"What we've done is made a commitment to the Schoenbergs to recatalog all the manuscripts according to the library standard," says Joe Zucca, Director for Planning and Communication for Penn Libraries.

The goal is to have all items scanned by 2012 to meld with Schoenberg's philosophy of combining rare and unique material with digital technology. Meanwhile, says David McKnight, the Director of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library, the 6th floor of Penn's Van Pelt is now undergoing an estimated $18 million renovation of the 6th floor, the Special Collections Center, to serve as home for the new institute, which will include classrooms and a digital media lab. McKnight is actively looking to hire a curator for The Schoenberg Institute, and is optimistic that the library can fill the position by the beginning of the new academic year. McKnight says that in addition to digital access, the Institute and its holdings will also be open to the public.

Source: Joe Zucca, David McKnight, Penn Libraries
Writer: Sue Spolan

G Philly: Region's new LGBT magazine more than just glossy

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, April 12, 2011

It's the lush lifestyle magazine you don't have to be gay to love. The premiere glossy issue of G Philly has just hit the streets and it's a beauty. The eye-catching publication in an eight-inch square package and a spinoff of Philadelphia magazine, sharing staff and offices. Natalie Hope McDonald has a brand new job as editor of both the print publication and the online blog that aims to cover everything lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered throughout the Delaware Valley. "Our aim is to showcase the best of gay life -- what's fabulous -- while also having conversations about same-sex marriage, parenting, politics, health and other hot-button issues that really impact lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people we know," says McDonald, a longtime freelance writer and photographer who initially helmed the online component and took over the top post on the print side as well. "The G Philly blog kicked off in October of last year in advance of the launch of the first print issue, says McDonald. "It's where you'll find breaking news and interviews with famous folks, local movers and shakers, events, and issues that matter to LGBT readers."

The resemblance of the magazine to GQ is unmistakable, and McDonald concurs. "Philly deserves a gay magazine that looks as great as GQ but covers exactly what regional readers want to know about." In the past, Philadelphia's LGBT community relied on less aesthetically pleasing publications like the Philadelphia Gay News and Au Courant for its news. "We live in a time when the future of gay rights is unfolding every day," says McDonald. And, she adds, while G Philly is aimed at the LGBT community, you certainly don't have to be gay to pick up an issue. "Who doesn't want to know where to eat the best brunch or belt out your favorite show tunes, like, seven nights a week? Okay, so maybe that is kinda gay."

G Philly's relationship with Phillymag.com allows crossover: readers who come for the LGBT content can also click on the Health blog or the Philly Post of the parent publication. McDonald says that inclusive nature is what makes her job such fun. Look for the print publication at local shops and gay bars, sign up for an issue online, and find G Philly on Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.

Source: Natalie Hope McDonald, G Philly
Writer: Sue Spolan

Old Fishtown schoolhouse to host a variety of artists and their many visions

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, April 12, 2011

You've got your art. You've got your school. Put them together for a new kind of art happening called Experiential, Environmental, Educational. Opening this Thursday, April 14 at 6 p.m., a floor of classrooms plus the coatroom of a 19th century schoolhouse will offer a wide range of immersive environments, each discrete space representing a different artist's vision. Participants are curator Jerry Kaba, along with C. Pazia Mannella, Daniel Ostrov, Jacque Liu, Jessie Hemmons, Joanie Turbek, Katya Gorker, Mike Ellyson, Ryan W. Kelly, and Tim Eads.

Kaba, who holds an MFA from Tyler School of Art, admits the title is a mouthful, but he wanted to come up with a large enough umbrella for the concept that's been in his head for several months. The Old School Studios, an ornate Victorian red brick building constructed in 1891, has been purchased by David Gleeson, Richard Hricko and Nicholas Kripal, owners of the nearby Crane Arts Building. It's an extension of the artists' community at the former warehouse.

Kaba envisions a carnival-esque feeling at Experiential, Environmental, Educational, with what he calls active installations. Each room will provide an entirely new experience. In some rooms, there will be performance, and in others, video. Outside, yarnbomber Jessie Hemmons will be adorning the wrought iron front gates with hundreds of hot pink pom-poms.

"I like to bring people in with a playful theme, then give them something more serious to consider," says Kaba. "The people in this show are working like that. There's a degree of humor with more serious undertones." Ryan W. Kelly, whom Kaba terms a master of papier mache, is constructing a giant Teddy Roosevelt head and teddy bear. This levity is contrasted with Pazia Mannella's installation and performance "Indulgences," based on a harrowing experience in which she was locked in a Catholic school coatroom as child. And if you are looking for strange things to pick from trees, check out Joanie Turbek's 8-foot tall porcelain tree. For a small fee, you will be able to take home an object hanging from its cold white branches.

If you miss Thursday's opening, Kaba is happy to arrange viewings by appointment. He expects the show to run for about a month, depending on how soon permanent tenants start moving into the Old School Studios.

Source: Jerry Kaba, Experiential, Environmental, Educational
Writer: Sue Spolan

Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts kicks off this week with giant squid

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Dan Schimmel's head might be in augmented reality, but the picture is pretty clear to him.

"Right now there's a giant, 100 foot squid hovering over the falls at Boat House Row," says the director of Breadboard, the art and technology program at Science Center that oversees the Esther Klein Gallery. Breadboard is participating in the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) with the free citywide VPAP@PIFA, the Virtual Public Art Project. Granted, explains Schimmel, you need a smartphone or other mobile device to see the Augmented Reality squid. "That's somewhat foreign to people, but this is where society's headed."

PIFA is about to overtake the city like a giant encornet (that's French for squid) with over 135 events, running from April 7 to May 1. If bright lights in the big city get you going, check out the 81 foot Eiffel Tower replica at the Kimmel Center, which serves as festival headquarters, with a light show daily at 7 and 10 p.m. The theme of PIFA is Paris 1911, tying in with the recent French-flavored Philadelphia International Flower Show. All over the city, you can catch performances, lectures, dance parties, installations, readings, a fashion show and eleven French chefs in residence at area restaurants.

The $10 million extravaganza showcases local and international talent. Visit a day-long free Parisian street fair April 30 on Broad Street where you can ride a giant Ferris Wheel and enjoy a multitude of acts including Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. PIFA is also sponsoring daily wine tastings, crepe samples, free concerts, and French lessons.

Philly-Paris Lockdown, on April 17 at 8 PM at the Kimmel, features Philly's own ?uestlove of The Roots along with singer-songwriter Keren Ann, followed by an underground afterparty. Fourth Wall Arts hosts a special Salon on April 23 at the newly opened National Museum of American Jewish History on Independence Mall, featuring Ursula Rucker, Mimi Stillman and muralist David Guinn.

JJ Tiziou's How Philly Moves, which just raised $26,000 in a Kickstarter Campaign, will be projecting massive images of Philadelphia's dancers on the side of the Kimmel throughout the festival. Hope: An Oratorio, is a work PIFA commissioned by composer Jonathan Leshnoff, to be performed April 24, performed by The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, along with four soloists, the Pennsylvania Girlchoir and the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia.

The Painted Bride, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Slought Foundation, the African-American Museum in Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, WXPN, Philadelphia's Magic Garden, and the Independence Seaport Museum are just a few of the many PIFA sponsors and event hosts. Get detailed program information, tickets, and download a festival brochure at the PIFA website. PIFA, along with the GPTMC, is also offering hotel and ticket packages for the festival.

Source: Dan Schimmel, Breadboard; PIFA; GPTMC
Writer: Sue Spolan

Rowan University gallery set to become South Jersey contemporary art hub

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, March 29, 2011

South Jersey could become the area's next contemporary art hub, if Mary Salvante keeps up the good work at Glassboro's Rowan University Art Gallery. The Program Director and curator of the space opens a show tonight that melds a multitude of disciplines. Artist Beverly Semmes' exhibit, entitled The Feminist Responsibility Project, combines installation with live performance and video to explore what Salvante terms the third wave of feminism.

"The title is heavy handed in a way. It's a response to the weight of feminism and the role it has s played in culture and politics. It's meant to be ironic and paradoxical as well," says Salvante, who is in her second year as gallery director. The installation, which includes a massive white cloud made of fabric, altered pornographic images, a video of a woman kicking pink potatoes across a white frozen lake, and a performance piece involving two archetypes: The Bitch and the Super Puritan, who sit down to a puzzle made from an altered pornographic image. These elements are meant to juxtapose the last wave of feminism, now considered somewhat over the top, with the attitudes of young women today.

Salvante first saw Beverly Semmes at The Fabric Workshop in Philadelphia, and says she was drawn to the way Semmes uses fabric as a sculptural material,and how the multimedia aspect of the work adds to the tension of what she is trying to communicate. Semmes lives in New York City and has exhibited internationally, brings a new level of quality to Rowan's offerings, offering the South Jersey institution the opportunity to expand the size of its regional cultural community. The Feminist Responsibility Project opens tonight, Tuesday March 29, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., with a talk and live performance, and runs through May 14.

Source: Mary Salvante, Rowan University
Writer: Sue Spolan

Make room for the Aerotropolis: Drexel's Mobilities in Motion conference explores 'logistics' cities

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Mobility. The word conjures up a multitude of meanings. The ability to move. Mobile devices. Passing through physical and virtual space. Remaining motionless. Social networks and location based apps. Handicapped access. Planes, trains, automobiles, and skateboards.
Drexel's Center for Mobilities Research and Policy, or mCenter, headed up by sociology professor Mimi Sheller, offers a new way to group ideas not previously considered connected under one umbrella. The mCenter is the first in the United States to study mobilities, drawing on the many disciplines of arts, design, social sciences, engineering, computer science, business, law, media, environmental studies and public health.

Tasked with studying movement as a social science, the one year old mCenter drew an international crowd to its conference, Mobilities in Motion: New Approaches to Emergent and Future Mobilities. Held March 21-23, presenters considered scales of mobility, migration, borders, mobile phones, and all kinds of ways to get around, from the skateboard as urban transportation, to air travel, to creating an avatar and traversing virtual environments. Participants from a dozen countries, including France, Japan, the UK, and Brazil, as well as from more local addresses in the United States, spoke on emerging concerns like surveillance and privacy, the continually accelerating cycle of mobile device obsolescence, ethics and social rights, borders, sustainability and more.

Sheller, who is also co-editor of the international journal Mobilities, said, "The event has been incredibly successful, even beyond my expectations. We had excellent keynote presentations and very high quality papers in all of the sessions. People felt a real sense of dynamic interaction and stimulating dialogue across different disciplines and research approaches."

One highlight was keynote speaker Rina Cutler, Philadelphia's Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities, "who gave an incredibly lively and entertaining talk about major infrastructure projects in the city, including her plans for developing an 'aerotropolis' at Philadelphia Airport." The idea that an airport can become a major urban hub, sometimes extending to a radius of up to 60 miles, was coined by professor John Kasarda (not in attendance), whose new book, Aerotropolis, The Way We'll Live Next, describes the next phase of globalization. With the rapid rise of logistics, global business networks, overnight shipping and increased travel, the new metropolis will have a massive airport at its center, with the city designed around it. Kasarda writes that logistics cities are now growing in Seoul, Amsterdam, Dallas and Washington, DC.

Sheller said participants, who included many PhD students as well as professors, were treated to presentations by artists and went on walking tours and as well as a mural tour. Aharon Kellerman, professor emeritus at Haifa University, remarked, "The most striking dimension of the conference was the young age of most of the participants. This is an encouraging trend by itself, notably in North America."

Source: Mimi Sheller, mCenter
Writer: Sue Spolan

The Social Knitwork: Philly's yarn bomber in talks with Mural Arts

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Jessie Hemmons embraces the city, literally. You've probably walked past this new form of public art and wondered who's behind the colorful knit webs that wrap trees, bike racks, and recently, subway seats on the Market-Frankford Line.

Hemmons is a yarn bomber, a growing network that subverts the old fashioned craft of knitting to put a feminist stamp on underground street art. When she's not riding her bike, Hemmons goes by the handle "ishknits" and spends hours working big needles and skeins of acrylic yarn on public transit. Hemmons, who's also a therapist for families facing drug and alcohol addiction, is not the first person to engage in yarn bombing nationally. The practice originated in Austin, when a failing yarn shop's overstock became fodder for public art. Hemmons says she is the only yarn bomber in Philadelphia, with 30 installations to date, including one commissioned by Urban Outfitters for the company's Navy Yard headquarters. She's also selling knits on etsy.

Consider the masculine spray of graffiti, as opposed to the warm womanly embrace of knitwork. "I am feminizing street art," says Hemmons, who is now entering talks with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. "My whole goal is to empower communities. The ideal yarn bomb would be to wrap an abandoned house." Public knitting is passive intervention, and a way for Hemmons to communicate that someone is paying attention to blighted neighborhoods.

Source: Jessie Hemmons, ishknits
Writer: Sue Spolan

Philly Tech Week promises a printer-smashing good time

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, March 22, 2011

In the spirit of Philly's other well-known celebrations like Beer Week and Restaurant Week, one of the main goals for Philly Tech Week, happening April 25 to 30 in locations across the city, is to have fun. Organized by Technically Philly, the week is meant to connect the many different segments of the Philly technology community, from hackers to Comcast and everyone in between, according to TP co-founder Chris Wink.

At this point, there are about 35 events on the schedule, with more to come. WHYY will serve as headquarters. Wink says the media outlet will host a daily lunchtime speaker series throughout the week, as well as the final big event Friday night. Tech Week coincides with two other major citywide happenings: The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) and The Philadelphia Science Festival. As a result, says Wink, some gatherings will carry all three labels, such as Augmented Reality Check: Seeing The Future Now, looking at the intersection of art, technology and science, to be held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on April 26.

Another exciting Tech Week gathering is The Future of Music featuring musician and producer RJD2, coordinated by Tayyib Smith, owner of Little Giant Media, which publishes two.one.five magazine. Smith hopes to draw like minded people actively engaged in creating, promoting and distributing music to envision the role technology will play in the future of music. "I am an analog person who is fronting like I am digital," says Smith, who hopes to get as much out of the discussion as any of the other attendees.

Local firm Azavea, which builds geographic analysis software, happens to be rolling out several projects that same week, and plans to show off the brand new goods. "One is Philly Tree Map," says President and CEO Robert Cheetham, whose goal is to create a crowdsourced urban tree inventory. Two other Azavea projects, Open Data Philly and PhillyHistory.org, will be showcased during Tech Week.

For those who have ever fantasized about going ballistic on your devices, be sure to attend the Office Space Printer Smash, co-sponsored by Nonprofit Technology Resources and The Hacktory. As the title indicates, participants will be encouraged to turn unrecyclable printers into a pile of mangled plastic and metal.

Source: Christopher Wink, Technically Philly, Tayyib Smith, Little Giant Media, Robert Cheetham, Azavea
Writer: Sue Spolan

FLYING BYTES: CoverPuppy, You Had Me at Yo, Flower Children and House Party

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Flying Bytes is innovation nuggets from throughout Greater Philadelphia:

VANITY FUR
Forget LOLcats. Now you can get LOLdogs, in the form of CoverPuppy, a new iPhone app that puts your mutt's mug on the cover of your favorite glossy rag. Spots Illustrated and Bone Appetit are just a few of the possibilities. For $1.99, you can download this latest offering from Philly's own ChatterBlast Labs and see your puppy's picture on the cover of Rolling Over. Share with friends via email, Facebook and Twitter. A portion of CoverPuppy proceeds goes to the ASPCA.

BELL IS BROKEN. PLEASE KNOCK.
This week the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation announced the top-10 list of submissions for its With Love, Philadelphia XOXO Billboard Contest. It wasn't easy choosing from 2,711 entries sent in from all over the country (106 submissions with Rocky but only 19 mentions of Adrian). The top ten can be seen in a video roundup. Mary K.'s winning entry "Dear Philadelphia, You had me at Yo!" will adorn a billboard above I-95 by the Girard Avenue exit.

SEPTA SEEKS FLOWER CHILDREN
Get to Springtime in Paris via rail or bus. Going to the Philadelphia International Flower Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center next week? SEPTA is encouraging visitors to leave cars at home and tiptoe through the tulips with a One Day or Family Independence Pass. SEPTA is also offering discounted tickets to the event, which runs March 6-13.

OPEN FOR GREAT MUSIC
No need to knock at JJ Tiziou's door. The Philadelphia photographer and supporter of the arts has announced the start of his 2011 house concert series at 4531 Osage Avenue. The April 2 lineup includes "pleasantly aggressive folk duo" Nervous But Excited from Ypsilanti, Michigan, and Washington DC's Tinsmith. As always, donations of money, food and drink are always welcome. Proceeds pay performers and also benefit the larger Philadelphia arts community.

Source: ChatterBlast, GPTMC, SEPTA, JJ Tiziou
Writer: Sue Spolan

FLYING BYTES: PHL to QUE, Drexel and Boeing, and Mutual Funds from Hedge Funds

Flying Kite Media Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Flying Bytes is innovation nuggets from around the region:

CALLING ALL FRANCOPHILE JETSETTERS
Get your beret and cafe au lait. This summer, US Airways starts direct flights from Philadelphia to Quebec City. The daily, year round service begins June 2 and offers three nonstop round trip flights. The quick trip to the Quebec capital is under 2 hours each way.

THE LONG AND $HORT OF IT
Turner Investments of Berwyn announced the launch this week of three alternative mutual funds that employ hedge fund strategies. The Medical Sciences Long/Short, the Market Neutral and the Titan Fund all rely on diversified long and short investments. Matt Glaser, who manages the Market Neutral, says the funds seek to deliver superior risk adjustment return for clients. "Post financial crisis investors are looking for ways to mitigate risk and lower volatility, so hedge funds, and mutual fund vehicles are here to stay."

EARLY TAKEOFF
Drexel University engineering students will be working on Boeing projects, thanks to a long term agreement signed this week between CDI-Aerospace and Boeing. Through the school's co-operative education program, students will be working on structural designs, software conversions and stress analysis for the CH-47 military helicopter, the V-22 Osprey vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and the Boeing 787 commercial transport aircraft.

STEAMPUNK ACTION
The Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby is back for its 5th year, and organizers have put out a call for entries. Last year, participants crafted a bicycle powered steam engine, a conveyance that catapulted paint filled balloons onto a canvas, pirate ships and dragons, all foot powered. If your passion lives at the intersection of biking and art, visit the Sculpture Derby's home page for guidelines and registration forms. The event takes place May 21, and submit your entry form by April 15 to get free T-shirts for your team.

Source: USAirways; Henry Pyatt, Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby; Matt Glaser, Turner Investments, CDI
Writer: Sue Spolan