PHILADELPHIA, March 23, 2022 – Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3rd), joined by officials from the Mann Center, highlighted $1 million in federal funding he secured for the Mann Center for the Performing Arts.
“I was pleased to designate this $1 million in federal funding for the Mann Center, a major cultural and economic driver in Philadelphia, in the government funding bill that President Biden recently signed into law,” Evans said. “This will go toward the first phase of the Mann’s master plan for campus improvements, helping to support over 550 jobs during construction and creating 35 additional jobs long-term.”
Planned activities in the first phase are expected to include pavilion restoration, electrical grid expansion, rainwater management, installation of a second permanent Skyline Stage, and renovating the Plaza to increase revenue generation.
The Mann Center drives over $50.4 million in local economic impact and typically brings a total of 564 full-time and seasonal jobs and $2.3 million in tax revenue to the city. The center strives to embody Philadelphia’s diversity, with 58 percent artists of color and 45 percent minority-owned businesses and women-owned businesses in its procurement. It also serves nearly 30,000 Philadelphia students through free music education and arts programming, with a focus on serving the neighboring Parkside community.
“The Mann is a cultural treasure for the City of Philadelphia and a destination not only for world-class music and performing arts but also for enriching educational and community engagement, especially for those who live in our neighborhood. These federal funds are critical to helping us realize our vision of continuing to elevate audience, artist, and community experiences on our beautiful Fairmount Park campus while also creating meaningful job opportunities,” said Catherine M. Cahill, President, and CEO of the Mann. “We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Evans for his foresight to include the Mann in this funding bill and his acknowledgment of the central role we play for the city as one of its leading cultural institutions.”
Evans represents Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes–Northwest and West Philadelphia and parts of North, South, Southwest, and Center City Philadelphia. During Evans’ first five years in Congress, his office has helped to return to or save more than $25 million for Philadelphians from federal agencies such as the IRS, Social Security Administration, and Department of Veterans Affairs. His website is evans.house.gov, and his social media handle is @RepDwightEvans on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
