Mission Statement:

First Person Arts transforms the drama of real life into memoir and documentary art to foster appreciation for our unique and shared experiences. We believe that everyone has a story to tell, and that sharing our stories connects us with each other and the world.

As I reflect on the past 10 years, three things strike me: 1) our mission and vision have remained remarkably consistent over time; 2) by nurturing artists, from established professionals to the newly minted, we have become an engine that fuels artistic growth; and, 3) by giving voice to the stories of everyday people, we are embracing a growing and increasingly more diverse community.

Our flagship First Person Arts Festival remains the only festival of its kind, featuring distinguished memoir and documentary artists, as well as emerging artists who are pushing the boundaries of traditional forms. Our year-round classes, StorySlams, Story Circles, and public art projects provide outlets for people at all levels of experience to engage in the creative process. Our programs are also a launching pad for gifted storytellers to develop their talents and build their careers.

Audiences, donors, private and government funders have supported us generously and enabled our growth. The most crucial of these is the William Penn Foundation, which has granted us nearly a million dollars in capacity-building support to date. Its support has allowed us to grow and professionalize our staff and implement the recent leadership transition.

During the fall of 2011, the board conducted a national search for a new Executive Director to succeed me. They hired Jamie J. Brunson, an experienced arts manager and playwright, who assumed the position after I stepped down in December. I could not be more pleased with their choice.

What began in a home office with a one-person staff and a four-person board has grown to a full-time staff of six with a 12-person board that operates out of a professional office suite at One South Broad Street. Over the years, we have served more than 32,000 audience members at live events, have a social media following of over 4,000 people, and have received support from over 1,200 donors.

I consider myself lucky to have had the chance to launch and lead First Person Arts. Now, I feel confident turning it over to a leader, board, and staff in whose sure hands I know it will thrive.

Vicki Solot, Founder of First Person Arts

Our flagship First Person Arts Festival remains the only festival of its kind, featuring distinguished memoir and documentary artists, as well as emerging artists who are pushing the boundaries of traditional forms.

vicki solot jamie j. brunson

photo credit: Becca Jennings

“I remember Vicki Solot first telling her vision for a festival of memoir while sitting on my office sofa eleven years ago. Seeing what it has become strikes me as a feat, a wondrous, magnificent accomplishment. Now let’s see where the talented Jamie Brunson takes this marvelous creation.” Helen Cunningham, Executive Director, Samuel S. Fels Fund

“The evening featured some profoundly good storytellers…The most telling

thing about the whole evening, though, was the camaraderie among Slammers and listeners… It feels just right.”Philadelphia City Paper

“There are many wonderful programs that I have observed in my years in Philadelphia. I’ve seen programs stay and go and there’s a reason why some programs stay. I think it’s because they’re capturing something very important and because they approach the work with real creativity. First Person Arts has been able to carve out a niche that is unusual and universal and because of that, they’re here for the long term.”

Jane Golden, Executive Director, City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program

“It is great to see an organization that values innovation and is working hard to make their mark through the power of the personal and the art of storytelling.” Will Elias, Red Tettemer + Partners

“I am stunned to think back over the great experiences I’ve had thanks to First Person Arts - the food I’ve eaten, the stories I’ve heard, and all the events that have stirred my soul with a sense of shared humanity.”

Charles Gilbert, Director, Ira Brind School of Theater Arts, The University of the Arts

Artists from many disciplines – authors, filmmakers, visual and performing artists - present work drawn from real life experience and participate in discussions, workshops, and other interactive experiences that immerse the audience in their stories. Since 2002, the Festival has presented more than 584 artists. They include such well-known artists as poet Sonia Sanchez and photographer Zoe Strauss, winners of First Person StorySlams, emerging artists creating ground-breaking and original works, celebrated authors, storytellers from the thriving stand-up storytelling genre, and radio personalities. As FPA has prioritized reaching a diverse base of audiences, Festival artists and attendees have represented a wide-range of artistic styles and cultural groups.

The 10th Anniversary Festival (sponsored by Harmelin Media and Penn LPS) ran for 10 days. Over 2,400 people attended –an 18% increase over 2010 attendance and a 271% increase over our first Festival in 2002.

Sonia Sanchez at the 2010 First Person Festival. Photo credit: Erika Vonie

programming

FPA offers writing, storytelling, and performance classes during the First Person Festival and throughout the year. Sessions range from half-day workshops to six-week classes taught by local and visiting artists.

Over the past ten years, we have provided over 50 classes and workshops, serving approximately 432 aspiring writers, storytellers, and performers.

In 2011, FPA offered a workshop for Mural Arts Program participants whose lives have been affected by suicide. An FPA writing instructor helped participants chronicle their stories; then professional actors presented excerpts of their writing to a sold-out Festival audience in a dramatic reading.

Writing workshop participants. Photo credit: Nathan Irvin

programming

classesworkshops

In 2006, First Person Arts began offering competitive storytelling events monthly at L’Etage Cabaret. Since then, 2,379 stories have been shared (and counting). The growing popularity of the Slams, open to anyone who wants to tell a story, led to a second monthly series at World Cafe Live in 2010. The monthly winners compete twice annually at Grand Slams. Curated storytelling programs and other special events feature top storytellers from Philadelphia and across the country.

In 2011 alone, nearly 2,300 people attended

our monthly StorySlams, and an additional

1,300 attended special Slams at venues like the

Kimmel Center, the Philadelphia Museum of

Art, and the Free Library of Philadelphia. Over

200 attendees told true stories from their own

lives at one or more events.

programming

In addition to the StorySlams, FPA provides opportunities for everyday people to engage in public art projects each year. Since 2007, FPA has captured video

stories on the street (First Person Story

Tour), turned people’s complaints into

a musical performance (Complaint

Choir), created an art installation at Love

Park (The Welcome House), and helped

people develop stories about their

treasured objects (First Person Museum,

funded by the Pew Center for Arts &

Heritage and the Wallace Foundation).

In 2011, FPA collaborated with the Mural Arts Program to launch Peace is a Haiku Song, a new mural series honoring Sonia Sanchez. More than 500 people participated in the kick-off event at Christ Church during the First Person Festival.

First Person Museum participants. Photo credit: Nathan Irvin

programming

public engagement projects

FPA has continuously created opportunities for emerging artists to showcase their work. Since 2002, we have sponsored juried contests, hosted artist salons, and, for the past two years, presented new works by emerging artists at the First Person Festival as part of the First Person RAW series. The 2011 First Person RAW series included Beaut, a movement theater piece by Thomas Choinacky and John Jarboe; Will You Accept This Friend Request?, an original storytelling piece by R. Eric Thomas; and The SHE Project, a poetry, dance, and hip hop work featuring Michelle Myers.

A grant from the Pew Center of Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative allowed FPA to begin work on developing a new documentary theater piece about the transformation of the news industry with former Festival artist Dan Hoyle.

2011 First Person RAW artists, R. Eric Thomas (Photo by James Carminati), Thomas Choinacky (Photo by Mary Tuomanen), and Michelle Myers (Photo by David Lee).

In 2011, a grant from the Steven Julius Foundation enabled FPA to increase its support of emerging

artists, including expansion of the Festival’s new work development series, First

Person RAW.

emergingartists

FPA has cultivated a strong marketing presence and nearly sextupled its annual event attendance since 2006, reaching close to 8,000 people at live events in 2011.

FPA is consistently in the public eye. In 2011, the First Person Festival was the cover story in both the Metro and Philadelphia Inquirer Weekend Section. Since 2002, Philadelphia City Paper has been the official print sponsor of First Person Arts. In 2011, First Person Arts began a new media sponsorship with Al Día.

The distinctive and popular brand design is the result of a unique partnership with the nationally recognized advertising firm of Red

Tettemer + Partners, a relationship which began in 2005 and is still going strong.

FPA’s online presence grew substantially in 2011. Increases in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube followers, plus the addition of a Tumblr feed, have created multiple avenues for the marketing staff to reach out to current and potential audiences. The 2011 online community included over: 42,000 YouTube viewers; 29,000 unique visitors to Firstpersonarts.org; 2,800 Twitter followers; and 1,800 Facebook fans.

Volunteers at the River City Festival, spreading the word about the First Person Museum

Since its inception in 2000, First Person Arts’ programming has attracted more than $2.4 million in philanthropic support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government sources. In addition, we have received over $600,000 in in-kind donations. The size of these gifts has grown as well, from our first foundation grant made by the Fels Fund ($1,000) to a series of strategic planning and multi-year capacity-building grants from the William Penn Foundation (totaling nearly $1MIL) and from initiatives of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage. One hundred percent of our board of directors make meaningful gifts to the organization. (A complete list follows in the Donors section.) This support has allowed us to expand our programming across the entire year, increase our board, hire additional staff, expand office space, and upgrade equipment and data management systems. THANK YOU!

administration

Joan Band

Sara Castillo

Vanessa Christman

Kathy Gosliner**

Cathy Gray**

Pamela Harper

Taalibah Kariem-White

Margaret Klaw

Nancy Librett

Joseph Lurie

Laurie Beck Peterson

Gene Shay**

Jack Silverberg**

Rhonda B. Temkin

Adam Travia

Kimberly Wheeler-

Goodman

** Founding Board Member

Founder and Executive Director- Vicki Solot

Executive Director - Jamie J. Brunson

(effective 1/1/2012)

Managing Director - Dan Gasiewski

Director of Development - Nancy Martino

Marketing Coordinator - Karina Kacala

Programming Coordinator - Liz Green

Marketing Assistant - Becca Jennings

Programming Assistant - Megan Grimm

Atwood

* as of 12/31/2011

Priscilla Rosenwald, Board Chair

Kristina M. Parker, Board Co-Chair

Karen Shakoske, Vice President

Susan G. Lowe, Treasurer

Tom Garrity, Secretary

Mia Aronson

Peter Bloomfield

Linda Dubin Garfield

Yvette Hyater-Adams

Don Kligerman

Eileen Anita Mijlin

Stephen C. Red

Vicki Solot

Staff

Board Members

Former

staff&board*

FunderS / SponSorS

Al Día NewsAsplundh FoundationBarra FoundationBeau Monde Restaurant / L’Etage CabaretChrist Church Neighborhood HouseFound Footage FestivalHarmelin MediaHonickman FoundationJames Oliver GalleryJanney Montgomery Scott LLCKPMG LLPKhyber Pass PubLa ColombeThe Latham HotelThe Lomax Family FoundationNancy Glass ProductionsOmni Hotel at Independence ParkPECOPenn LPSPennsylvania Humanities CouncilPew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Theatre Initiative Philadelphia City PaperThe Philadelphia Cultural FundQuirk Books Red Tettemer + PartnersShire PharmaceuticalsSteven Julius FoundationTemple UniversityUnion Benevolent AssociationWilliam Penn Foundation

Vicki Solot Fund For creatiVe innoVation

Jane Abrams and John Paul MacDuffieAnonymousRoberta BergJulia BlaukopfJean BodineLorene CaryVanessa ChristmanEileen CunniffeHelen CunninghamDana DormanAdelaide FergusonDr. Julia FoulkesDan GasiewskiAaron GoldblattJanet Goldwater and Branch CoslettKathy GoslinerJoanne HarmelinSam KatzMargaret Klaw and Alan MetcalfeDon Kligerman and Marjorie ScharfDr. and Mrs. Morrie KricunNimisha Ladva and David SteingardAlbert LassarMolly LaytonY. Kevin LeeNancy LibrettSusan G. LoweDianna Marder Nancy MartinoSusana MayerRosalyn McPhersonEileen MijlinMeghan NewmanRick NicholsJane PepperMike PrestergordMarian Sandmaier and

Dan SipeGail SchaevitzKaren ShakoskeNoreen Shanfelter and Richard FreemanLeeAnn ShiveleyVicki and Evan SolotShelley SpectorEd and Lyn TettemerKay Unger Pitman

trailblazerS circle / $1,000+

AnonymousBetsy and Kurt AsplundhPeter BloomfieldJanet and Tom GarrityJoanne and Jon HarmelinDon Kligerman and Marjorie Scharf Albert LassarY. Kevin LeeSusan G. LoweKristina ParkerJane G. PepperKaren Shakoske

FirSt perSon Friend / $500

Jean BodineVanessa ChristmanDr. Linda Dubin GarfieldDale and Steve HoffmanYvette Hyater-AdamsJo Ann and George Merritt JenkinsSteve RedPriscilla R. RosenwaldLyn and Ed TettemerVicki and Evan Solot

FirSt perSon aSSociate / $150

Jane Abrams and John Paul MacDuffie

DONORS

AnonymousRoberta BergTodd CollinsEileen CunniffeAnna Maria and Dr. Richard DiDioAdelaide FergusonDan GasiewskiDr. Mindy Goldberg and Charles RoseDrs. Algund Hermann and Julio KupermanCharisse R. LillieEileen MijlinNancy MartinoRosalyn McPhersonDolores MillerElizabeth MillerVeronica and Paul MoulSarah Ricks and Thomas DolgenosGail SchaevitzGoldie SolotStacey Spector and Ira BrindMartha and Dr. Morris SwartzAnne and Richard UmbrechtMiriam W. White

FirSt perSon MeMber / $75

Christina AborlleileBarbara Attie and Jeremy HeymsfeldRyan T. BarlowFrancesca BayakPilar BerguidoJamie Barton Bischoff and Daniel GibbonKate Leuschke BlinnBarbara A. BloomChristian BygottCynthia ClausKaren R. and Stewart Cohen

Carolyn CokerJoann and Walter ConnMichaelle CookeFrances R. DaviesSusan DiPronioUjwala DixitHelen and Leonard EvelevDr. Elise Freed-Fagan and Stanley FaganAmanda Feifer O’BrienJoanne Fischer and Eric HoffmanElizabeth FlatleyChristine FrittonKendra GaetaMichael GarrityKevin GinsbergAlyssa GoodinCatherine and Gary GrayMarion HallidayEmma M. and Michael HalpertKathy HarmerGail HarringtonJessica HearnAmy HensonTheresa HerringMaxwell HibbardDudley HiltonDana HirschenbaumDr. Joy Hockman and Jack SilverbergLesley HuffKarin GoldmanRuth and William GreenStuart JablonThora JacobsonRebecca JenningsDaniel JordonLisa KastnerJane and Robert KaufmanLouise and Robert Kidder

Margaret Klaw and Alan MetcalfeCarol LernerRuth LevikoffMichael LiebermanSarah LowMary Hale MeyerDonna McFaddenRoderick MacNeilWilliam MettlerKaren NicoliniBarbara A. and R. Barrett NooneRobin OrtizKaty OttoKathy and Jeffrey PasekAnne RutledgeKaryn L. ScherStephanie ScordiaNoreen Shanfelter and Richard FreemanLila and Don ShapiroNieta and Stephen ShapiroLeeAnn ShiveleyScott M. ShrakeTheresa H. SmithCharles M. SnellBarbara Solot and Denton CairnesDr. Katherine SpelmanRichard Jim StahlTiffany Strother-MillnerChristina and Bruce TarkoffJohnny WalkerJanet and Steven WeinbergerRicki Weisberg NdegeJuliet WhelanGail WhiffenMerrily J. WilliamsTerese Zeccardi

Financials

2001

$74

,577

.69

$427

,460

.89

900

7,67

2

all time

32,3

17

Budget Size Live Audiences2002 was the first year of records.

2011 2002 2011

1,20

7

Earned Income

Donated Income (cash)

Number of Donors

$8,1

82

$542

,301

.68

$500

,916

.99

$2,4

23,1

90

2001 2011 all

timeall

timeall

time

Vicki Solot founds Blue Sky

Solot and founding board develop mission and first programs Samuel S. Fels Fund makes first grant award

Launch of First Person Festival

Philadelphia City Paper becomes media sponsor

Time Warner Book Group becomes Festival sponsor

Creation of first strategic plan

First grant from William Penn Foundation

Harmelin Media becomes a Festival sponsor

The Latham Hotel becomes a Festival sponsor

Partnership with Red Tettemer begins

Philadelphia Cultural Fund makes first grant award Staff grows to three and moves to One South Broad St

Launch of Edible World food events

Pennsylvania Council for the Arts makes first grant award

Blue Sky becomes First Person Arts

Launch of year-round programming, including StorySlams

University of the Arts becomes a Festival sponsor

Neiman Marcus sponsors a fundraiser with designer Kay UngerNeiman Marcus sponsors a fundraiser with designer Steven Lagos

Philadelphia Arts & Business Council awards the “Business/Arts Partnership Award: Small to Mid-Sized Business” to First Person Arts and Red Tettemer

StoryTour takes over Philly neighborhoods

Inaugural First Taste Fundraiser

Festival moves to Philadelphia Shakespeare Theater

First Grand SlamStaff grows to five

Co-produces the Complaint Choir with Shelley Spector Projects

Festival moves to Painted Bride Art Center

Philadelphia Magazine names StorySlams the “Best Bar Competition” in the “Best of Philly” Awards

Janney Montgomery Scott becomes First Taste sponsor

La Colombe Torrefaction becomes Festival sponsor

Co-produces The Welcome House in Love Park with Marianne Bernstein

Staff grows to seven

Festival moves to Christ Church Neighborhood House and other Old City venues

Launch of Alan Lerner Social Justice Program

Launch of Peace is a Haiku Song in collaboration with Mural Arts

Omni Hotel and Al Día become Festival sponsors

Philadelphia Theater Initiative, Pew Center for Arts & Heritage supports initial development of a new work by Dan Hoyle

Jamie J. Brunson steps in as Executive Director upon Vicki Solot’s retirement

Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, through the Heritage Philadelphia Program, and the Wallace Foundation support the First Person Museum

Tribute to Sonia Sanchez is produced

Le Meridien becomes a Festival sponsor

Launch of First Person RAW

Launch of Trailblazer major donor program