A House for Us All

he Kimmel Center has enjoyed an extraordinary year—a year of breathtaking performances and soul-satisfying service to our community, of powerful success as an educator, a business and an asset to the entire region. Whatever expectations attended the creation of this unique facility, a dedicated staff and a dazzling roster of artists has continually exceeded them.

The Center continues to give great performers across the globe a world-class destination in Philadelphia. Artists like the Grammy-winning tenor Ben Heppner have made their Philadelphia recital debuts here; the Berlin Philharmonic's appearance was their first Philadelphia concert in half a century. Our Fresh Ink concerts, with their focus on contemporary composers and innovative musicians, have drawn enthusiastic audiences. Our stages have provided equally stylish showcases for Pulitzer Prize winners like Wynton Marsalis and audience favorites like the Blind Boys of Alabama.

The Kimmel Center also provides something more, something harder to describe but just as vital.

It was built to serve as a public square for our entire region. If you live in Philadelphia or its suburbs, New Jersey or Delaware, the Kimmel Center belongs to you. And we are proud to say that throughout the year, more and more of you have been taking advantage of it.

Verizon Hall and the Perelman Theater regularly welcome full houses. People from all over the region crowd into our venue-wide Summer Solstice Celebration and pack our weekly Free in the Plaza performances. Students from three states have participated in our arts education programs. And when the community needs to commemorate a major event, the Kimmel Center is often where they gather. Students graduate here and pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday. Major corporations and national nonprofit organizations come to the Center to celebrate their successes and plan their futures.

Our job is to build and maintain the structure that supports these programs. Behind the inspired performances that dominate our stages is a cutting-edge arts management organization, with systems we have developed and refined during almost three years of operation. In 2004, these systems produced impressive results.

This season, the Center improved our operating results by a full 36.5%, and our plan reflects still better performance in 2005. It's an aggressive goal, but the Center's triumphant record makes it realistic. And our Board and staff are committed to making it happen.

None of this would be achievable without the generosity of you, our donors. Your backing has enabled the Kimmel Center to become a lasting regional landmark, moving rapidly toward full financial stability. And with your continued support, we will build on this record of success, finding new ways to serve this community for a long time to come.

Daniel J. Whelan
Chairman

Janice Price
President and CEO