City-Wide

Artists and arts organizations and sacred places city-wide are invited to participate in special online training sessions where artists are mindfully paired with sacred places through a mission and vision alignment process in an effort to share space with one another.

Partners for Sacred Places is using our local expertise and know-how to locate available space in sacred places and provide free training for artists and faith-based organizations interested in learning how to share space with one another. The goal of this project is to create and foster sustainable, mutually beneficial space sharing relationships between dance makers and sacred places. The deadline to register to participate for the online trainings is Monday, June 1st.

Three 90 minute Zoom Meetings will cover topics including:

  • Aligning artist’s and sacred place’s missions
  • Do’s and Don’ts of space sharing
  • Creating a space sharing agreement that works for both parties
  • Re-imagining the sacred place facility for use by the arts community

There are two opportunities for you to attend each session.

  • Session I: June 3rd @ 4pm or June 5th @ 12pm
  • Session II: June 9th @ 4pm or June 12th @ 12pm
  • Session III: June 16th @ 4pm or June 18th @ 12pm

Sacred places interested in participating in the program, please note, we will need a photo and measurements of each space. This gives us a great idea which spaces may be viable for artists in order to find an appropriate potential artist match. As you fill out the registration form, please don’t hesitate to contact Karen DiLossi (kdilossi@sacredplaces.org) for assistance. 

Congregations – Register Today!
Artists – Register Today!
Applications due by June 1st
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Partners’ experience and research has shown that many urban congregations are overwhelmed with the burden of caring for surplus space. At the same time, artists who are struggling to find adequate and affordable space in which to work, may not know that the former Sunday school wing of a local church could be available for office, performance, or studio space. Partners’ Arts in Sacred Places program (AiSP) was designed to capitalize on this challenge by facilitating mutually beneficial space-sharing relationships between artists without a home and the city’s houses of worship with space to spare. As we look at our world post pandemic, the need for space that is affordable may be more dire. Our preliminary survey of congregations has shown that they will continue to make their spaces available as we all begin to feel safe again.

  • Sacred places are community spaces and artists expand that definition.
  • Artists avoid the costs of property ownership while sacred places can earn income to maintain their buildings.
  • Sacred places are generally able to rent their spaces below market rate.

Partners is seeking no more than 20 sacred places located within the City of Philadelphia to participate in this pilot project. Selected sacred places should fit the following criteria:

  • Have a willingness to share your space with artists specifically.
  • Are open to artistic freedom
    • Artistic freedom means allowing the artists to develop and create their work without interference or influence from entities outside their creative process.
  • Have large open spaces – these have proven to be the most useful to performance groups.
  • Have the human capacity at your facility to handle the management of potential space sharers.
  • Have clergy and lay leadership interested in the arts and space sharing.

Partners is seeking approximately 20 artists or arts organizations (individuals, co-ops, or organizations) to participate in this process. Selected artists should fit the following criteria:

  • Have a willingness to make a creative home within a sacred place.
  • Are currently paying rent in another space or are ready to make that leap.
  • Have human capacity to handle the space sharing relationship.
  • Have artistic and management leadership interested in sharing space with sacred places.

We have had a lot of success in the past with our program throughout Philadelphia. We would love to continue our efforts online. Since the stay at home orders will only be temporary, we will be focused on our future when we will be able to share space with one another again.  

The Arts in Sacred Places program is focused on guiding both artists and sacred places towards sharing space with one another based on mission and vision alignment that creates a strong relationship foundation for long-term success. While we will advise, assist, and act as a resource to all participants, the program at this time, does not provide any financial support or negotiate any individual space sharing agreements. Our distinct hope is to empower both groups to create a space sharing agreements that works for them.

This program is made possible through support from Wyncote Foundation, Independence Foundation, and The Philadelphia Cultural Fund.

Contact for more information:

Karen DiLossi, Director of Arts in Sacred Places
kdilossi@sacredplaces.org
215-567-3234 x16