Creative Philadelphia is going into the charter. Here's what that changes, and what it doesn't

Philadelphia's arts and culture office is about to become a permanent part of city government. Voters approved the charter change creating Creative Philadelphia with 368,051 yes votes to 72,070 no, or 83.6%, according to unofficial results posted by the Philadelphia City Commissioners, last updated at 10:25 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, with 1,694 of 1,703 divisions reporting (results).

That matters because, until now, the office existed only because a mayor said so. A future mayor could shrink it, fold it into another department or close it, and past mayors have done all three. Once the result is certified, changing the office's basic structure would take another charter amendment approved by voters.

What changes

Based on reporting by the Inquirer, the Philadelphia Citizen and the Committee of Seventy:

• A required office and leader. The charter will establish Creative Philadelphia, headed by a Chief Cultural Officer the mayor must appoint. Valerie Gay leads the office now, the Inquirer reported.
• A set salary. The amendment sets the Chief Cultural Officer's pay at $205,000 a year, the Inquirer reported. The Citizen reported that figure is unchanged.
• A cabinet seat. The Citizen reported that the chief cultural officer becomes a member of the mayor's cabinet. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker had already given the post cabinet rank, WHYY reported in October.
• A staff cap. The office can have up to 15 employees, including its head. It has about 10 now, according to the Citizen and Seventy.
• Programs under one roof. The office will oversee the city's Public Art and Mural Arts programs and other city arts initiatives, the Citizen reported.

What doesn't change

The charter change doesn't come with a guaranteed budget, according to all of the reporting we reviewed. Creative Philadelphia, like every other city office, still gets its money each year through the operating budget the mayor proposes and Council passes.

That is where arts advocates have focused. The city's support for the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, which makes grants to arts groups, fell from $5 million to $3.5 million in the fiscal 2027 budget, the Citizen reported, citing the Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. A representative for at-large Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, the bill's lead sponsor, told the Citizen his office would like that funding increased. "We want to codify Philadelphia's commitment to the arts," the representative said.

Why it was on the ballot

The office dates to 1986 and has always existed by executive order, WHYY reported. Mayor John Street shut it down. Mayor Michael Nutter brought it back. Mayor Jim Kenney proposed eliminating it in 2020 before cutting it and moving it under the Managing Director's Office. At a City Hall rally this fall, at-large Councilmember Rue Landau said the office "is treated like an afterthought," WHYY reported.

What our records add

• Sponsors: Bill 260264-A was introduced by Isaiah Thomas on March 26, with Anthony Phillips, Kendra Brooks, Quetcy Lozada and Rue Landau.
• Path: It went to the Committee on Law and Government, reached the floor May 28, was amended on the floor June 4 and passed 17-0 on June 11. The mayor signed it June 23.
• Where it ran strongest: By our count of the division results, the 3rd District, represented by Jamie Gauthier, gave the question its highest support, 91.4%. The 10th District, represented by Brian J. O'Neill, gave it the least, 62.8%. It won in every Council district and every ward. (How each district voted.)

What's next

• Certification: The commissioners begin the official count Friday, Nov. 6 (notice). The margin, about 296,000 votes, is far larger than the ballots left to count.
• The money: The office's size within the 15-person cap will depend on the next budget, which Council will take up next spring. Watch for whether the Cultural Fund line changes.
• Council: The first stated meeting after the election is Nov. 12.

Our pre-election explainer has the full ballot wording.