Philly’s arts community is looking for hope | Morning Newsletter
And Hunter Biden’s plea deal is on hold
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The Morning Newsletter
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Make sure you’re not just drinking coffee this morning. Have plenty of water throughout the day, as the high is expected to reach 97 degrees. Philadelphia has declared a “heat emergency” for today and tomorrow.
It’s been three years from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and much of the world seems relatively back to normal. But for Philadelphia arts groups, recovery is slow. Attendance numbers haven’t bounced back.
Our lead story follows the community’s struggle to bring back audiences.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Audiences are not as large as they were in 2019. Arts groups are navigating this reality without the millions of federal emergency aid money that kept them afloat during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some important numbers:
Only a third of arts and culture groups in the Philly region say attendance has reached or exceeded pre-COVID levels, according to preliminary findings from a forthcoming Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance survey.
Only 15% of performing arts groups surveyed in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties said attendance was back or exceeded their 2019 figures.
Still, there are signs of hope.
One bright spot: The African American Museum in Philadelphia exceeded it’s pre-pandemic attendance numbers with the help of its much-publicized “Rising Sun” show it’s presenting with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. It reached 75,000 for the year ending June 30, 2023.
If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the dip in attendance is forcing arts groups to pay more attention to what audiences and communities want.
Continue reading to learn what options arts groups are exploring to find and attract new audiences.
Hunter Biden was supposed to go into the U.S. courthouse in Wilmington on Wednesday and quickly resolve federal charges in a plea deal.
Things didn’t go according to plan.
First, disagreements between the prosecutors and Biden’s lawyers prompted both sides to threaten to withdraw from a deal for Biden to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax charges and a related agreement that would have spared him prosecution in an illegal gun possession case. Both sides eventually resolved their differences and went with the expected plea.
But then, the judge overseeing the case refused to accept it — for now.
The result: Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty and is facing the prospect of returning to court later this year.
Read more for the judge’s reasoning for not accepting the plea.
What you should know today
The Upper Makefield Police Department announced Wednesday that the active search ended for 9-month-old Conrad Sheils, who disappeared during the deadly Bucks County flash flood that killed seven people, including his mother and 2-year-old sister.
An online auction is planned to sell the contents of the sports bar, Bankroll, which opened just four months ago.
Republican Pennsylvania House members want the state Supreme Court to reconsider the case to impeach Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.
Federal authorities charged a Penn State Abington student with lying about ties to ISIS terrorists.
The Central Bucks school board approved a nearly 40% raise for its superintendent despite public outcry. The new salary is $315,000.
Wildwood is the latest Jersey Shore town to propose a curfew for teenagers. Unlike in Ocean City, there haven’t been disruptive gatherings in Wildwood, but Mayor Peter Byron said the town is being “proactive.”
Cape May County could gets its first legal marijuana dispensary by the end of the summer.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
Which actor from Philadelphia is hosting the travel memoir series, You Are Here, on AMC?
A) Gary Dourdan
B) Colman Domingo
C) Victoria Pedretti
D) Quinta Brunson
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🍽️ Anticipating: Craig LaBan’s AMA today at 3 pm in r/PhiladelphiaEats. He’ll be talking about his new Taste Philly newsletter that showcases the immigrant communities and food cultures that make up Philly’s amazing food scene.
👀 Watching: A former Air Force intelligence officer told Congress that the U.S. is concealing a multi-decade program that captures unidentified flying objects.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: Throwback uniforms 🏈
GREEK NELLY
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Mike McGuire, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Cape May.
Photo of the day
And that’s it from me. I’ll be your inbox tomorrow bright and early.