PHILLY ARTS FOR BLACK LIVES

WHAT’S NEXT?

As workers and leaders of the arts and culture sector of Philadelphia, almost three thousand of us (and climbing) have signed our open letter to Mayor Kenney and City Council denouncing racist police conduct and demanding immediate divestment from the police. These signatures represent a commitment to meaningful, positive change for all citizens, and especially Black Philadelphians. We hope you’ll join our mailing list for future updates and to be part of our continued advocacy efforts.

City Council has responded. They are approving an amendment to the mayor’s originally proposed budget, which puts Arts and Culture back on the general ledger, albeit at just 30% of its previous total, but saving it from the brink of extinction. They’re budgeting for a survey and promise more meetings with arts leadership.

There’s a small cut to the police budget that is not a cut. It’s just a moving around of some jobs.

While there has been much to-do about $33m being “cancelled” from the Philadelphia police budget in 2021, there have in fact NOT been significant or substantial changes to police funding in our city. While City Council has cancelled the proposed $19m in increased funds for Philadelphia police, advanced a package of police reform measures, and moved $14m-worth of certain jobs to different city departments, these gestures do not adequately address the need to divest from police and re-invest in the community.

Furthemore, the city’s continued investment in police-reform initiatives that have proven time and again to NOT work indicates a true lack of imagination for how to address safety and justice in our city. We demand bolder action be taken!

Study after study shows that the police are not properly held accountable and are ineffectual at what we think they are meant to do: crime solving, crime prevention, peacekeeping.

So, what does a police-free future of re-imagined safety look like?
Review our resources for learning about police abolition.