Dr. Dog/Pig Iron Theater project, Center City Jazz Festival among 43 local art proposals funded by Knight Arts Challenge

The musical adaptation of Rocky won’t be the only Philadelphia-centric theater production to hit the stage in the near future.  Thanks to the Knight Arts Challenge, a collaboration between Dr. Dog and the Pig Iron Theatre Company is one of 43 Philadelphia arts projects to be awarded grants by foundation this year.  The local band and innovative performance group sit alongside music education initiatives, art installations and experimental spacial projects on the list of funding winners.  Check out a sampling of grantees below:

Center City Jazz Festival expansion:

To increase audiences for jazz, the new Center City Jazz Festival will expand in to add a second day and include new venues. The festival focuses on presenting new, live jazz at venues big and small in Center City Philadelphia. Challenge funding will also help the festival set aside free tickets for students and provide performances at a local high school.

Dr. Dog and the Pig Iron Theatre Company:

The Obie and Barrymore Award-winning Pig Iron Theatre Company will work with one of Philadelphia’s highest-profile indie rock bands, Dr. Dog, to create a concert spectacle billed as a multimedia opera in the tradition of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.”

Increasing awareness of Indian music in Philadelpha with Sruti:

To bring Indian music to new audiences, the 26-year-old Sruti Music and Dance Society will hold a concert series geared toward a young, urban crowd…. Each concert will be held in a nontraditional venue in the city’s core and will be accompanied with post- or pre-show chat sessions and a community workshop.

Exploring the history of jazz in Philadelphia with Ars Nova Workshop:

Philadelphia has a rich jazz legacy, producing the talents of Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Sun Ra and more. The Freedom in the City Festival will honor this history by offering 30 days of programming that will take place at current and defunct spaces of significance — literally mapping the history of jazz in Philadelphia.

For a full list of funded projects, visit the Knight Arts Foundation website here.