Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
| Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (now Creative Philadelphia) | |
|---|---|
| Type | City department (cabinet-level) in the Parker administration |
| Current name | Creative Philadelphia (OACCE formerly) |
| Led by | Valerie V. Gay, Chief Cultural Officer and executive director |
| General Fund budget | $5,395,601 proposed for FY2026 (down from $13.4 million FY2025 estimated) |
| Address | City Hall, Room 116 |
| Contact | (215) 686-8446; creativephl@phila.gov |
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) was a city office supporting arts and culture; it is now known as Creative Philadelphia. Under Mayor Cherelle Parker the office became a department in the Mayor's Cabinet, and its executive director, Valerie V. Gay, holds the title Chief Cultural Officer. The FY2026 budget testimony describes Creative Philadelphia as "formerly the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy."[1]
1 Name, status and leadership
The budget testimony notes that Creative Philadelphia was a newly formed department starting in FY2025; before that its budget was reflected in the Managing Director's Office.[1] Gay is described as the first executive director of the office to serve in the Mayor's Cabinet.[2] The department's mission is to provide creative and economic opportunities for all Philadelphians to thrive through the arts, advance public access to arts and culture, and collaborate with local creative communities.[1] See Mayor's Cabinet and Offices.
2 Programs
Public art. The office oversees the city's Percent for Art program, which requires that one percent of the budget of certain city-funded construction projects be set aside for site-specific public art; the ordinance dates to 1959 and was shaped with the Redevelopment Authority. It also manages conservation of the city's collection. Projects named in FY2026 testimony include a Harriet Tubman statue at City Hall and a Sadie T.M. Alexander statue scheduled for fall 2026.[1]
Cultural Plan. The department planned to deliver the city's first Cultural Plan in spring 2026 as part of the 2035 Comprehensive Plan, with planning sessions in all ten council districts.[1] Art in City Hall expands exhibition space. Funding. The office distributes grants to artists and arts organizations, including Illuminate the Arts funding, and supports the nighttime economy and events around the 2026 Semiquincentennial.[1]
3 Budget
The FY2026 General Fund proposal was $5,395,601, a decrease of $8,030,000 from FY2025 estimated obligations, driven mostly by a drop in Class 500 contributions from $12.58 million to $4.3 million.[1] Its contracts are with nonprofit vendors. The fall in funding reflects one-time FY2025 contributions; see Philadelphia City Budget Process. Later fiscal years are set in each year's budget; see the Creative Philadelphia testimony and the adopted Appropriation Ordinance for the current figure.
4 Relationships
The office works with Mural Arts Philadelphia, the Free Library, Parks and Recreation, the Commerce Department on the creative economy, the Historical Commission and philanthropy. The Art Commission, an independent body, reviews design of public art and municipal structures. Artists can find calls for proposals on creativephl.org.
See also: Mural Arts Philadelphia, Free Library of Philadelphia, Philanthropy in Philadelphia.
References
- Creative Philadelphia, Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Testimony, 2025 (phlcouncil.com).
- City of Philadelphia, Creative Philadelphia, department page, phila.gov.
- Philadelphia Code, Percent for Art provisions; WHYY, reporting on public art in Philadelphia.