bookmark_border36th Annual Phladelphia Museum of Art Craft Show

November 8 – 11, 2012

The 36th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center November 8th through 11th, 2012; Preview Party, November 7th.

Show Hours
Thursday, Nov 8th 11a.m. – 9p.m.
Friday, Nov 9th 11a.m. – 9p.m.
Saturday, Nov 10th 10a.m. – 6p.m.
Sunday, Nov 11th 10a.m. – 5p.m.

This premier show and sale of contemporary craft, includes 195 of the finest and most dynamic craft artists in the United States, selected from more than 1,300 applicants. British and Irish artists will be featured. All work is for sale.

The 36th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is organized and coordinated by Chair, Lisa Woolbert; Vice-Chair, Laura Rothrock and Nancy C. O’Meara, Show Manager.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is presented annually by the Women’s Committee and Craft Show Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the benefit of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Funds raised are used to purchase works of art and craft for the permanent collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, to fund conservation and publication projects, and to support exhibitions and education programs.

Selected from more than 1,300 applicants, this premier exhibition and sale of contemporary American craft includes 195 of the best craft artists in the United States. This year a group of British and Irish Contemporary Craft Artists will be featured.

The emerging artist category, now in its fifth year, showcases the work of artists new to the field. The 2012 show participants will be posted here by June 15, 2012. There is excitement in every booth at the Show, with the crafts exhibited embracing a striking variety of forms and functions.

2012 Show Artists

 

bookmark_borderImpact of Budweiser Made in America Festival

PHILADELPHIA, PA — – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that over the Labor Day weekend the Budweiser Made in America Festival, locally produced by Live Nation, generated at least $10 million in economic impact for the city economy and covered all municipal costs associated with the event, while netting hundreds of thousands of dollars in various tax revenues for City coffers.

“Today, the Festival promoters delivered a check for $305,124 to the City. Coupled with an earlier check of $200,000, I’m pleased to say that the Festival covered all costs incurred by the City for what was a truly stunning event on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway,” Mayor Nutter said. “Financial considerations aside, this event gained global recognition for Philadelphia and showed what a great city can do working with the private sector. It energized our hospitality industry on a traditionally quiet weekend, brought thousands of visitors to our city and pumped millions of dollars into the city’s economy.”

A preliminary economic impact estimate was developed by Econsult Corp., the Philadelphia based consulting firm, working on a pro bono basis for the City of Philadelphia. Using a set of conservative assumptions, Econsult estimated $6.1 million in direct new net spending and an additional $3.6 million in indirect expenditures. Spending by Festival attendees on tickets and concessions was not included in the analysis.

Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp., said, “Labor Day weekend is usually a very slow time for hotels, restaurants and the whole industry. But this year, Center City occupancy (including University City) soared the entire three nights, averaging more than 90% for the weekend at very good rates. The last couple years, it was 66%. This means an increase of more than $2,000,000 in hotel revenue, spinning off tax revenue, restaurant receipts, and souvenir purchases and so on.”

Levitz said that the two-day event also spread the city’s name worldwide. “Equally exciting was the international media coverage: we have tracked well over 6,000 pickups so far including print, online and electronic. When you add in the global chatter on all social media platforms, the sound of Philadelphia will continue to resonate, giving strength to our great city’s image as the place to be,” she said.

In addition, Festival promoters have estimated that during the two-day event 1.5 million viewers from all over the nation and world live-streamed the event.

Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, said his member hoteliers were “thrilled with the weekend.” Citing research from PFK Consulting and Smith Travel Research, Grose said room revenues were $4.96 million for the weekend, up $2.17 million over 2010. Grose said the 2011 Labor Day weekend was impacted by Hurricane Irene. The occupancy rate for Labor Day weekend 2012 was 90 percent, up almost 21 percentage points over 2010.

The Econsult analysis completed three days after the Festival estimated total city tax revenues of $223,000. But city officials believe the total tax revenue impact will be more. For example, a recent analysis of hotel occupancy data conducted by GPTMC estimated hotel tax revenue at almost $202,000 for the three days of the event.

In addition, the Econsult analysis did not include an estimate of amusement tax. Live Nation officials said today that 78,655 people attended the Festival, generating $5,049,924 in gross ticket sales. In turn, the City’s 5 percent amusement tax raised $240,473 in amusement tax revenue. Wage tax revenue has not yet been fully calculated, though the Econsult analysis projected $66,000.

bookmark_borderPA Borrowers Who Lost Homes to Foreclosure

HARRISBURG, PA – Attorney General Linda Kelly announced that official notifications are being sent to approximately 29,000 Pennsylvania borrowers who lost their homes to foreclosure between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2011 and who may be eligible for payment as part of the $25 billion national mortgage foreclosure settlement.

Eligible borrowers had mortgages serviced by Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers that agreed to the settlement with the federal government and attorneys general for 49 states and the District of Columbia.

The settlement, which took effect in April, set aside approximately $1.5 billion in payments for two million borrowers nationwide who lost their homes to foreclosure during that period and had their loan serviced by one of the settling servicers. The exact payment will depend upon the total number of borrowers who decide to participate.

Kelly said the national settlement administrator has mailed notification postcards to eligible borrowers nationwide. The postcards explain that consumers may be eligible for a portion of the foreclosure settlement and advises them to carefully review all of the information in the claim packets, which are being mailed this week.

In Pennsylvania, the packets contain an official notification letter from Attorney General Kelly along with a claim form, instructions and answers to frequently asked questions. Those packets are being mailed to 28,448 eligible borrowers beginning today and continuing through October 12th.

Kelly urged eligible Pennsylvania borrowers to watch their mail for the official packets and to complete their claim forms and return them as soon as possible in the envelope provided. Claim forms can also be filed online at www.nationalmortgagesettlement.com.

The deadline for filing all claims is January 18, 2013.

Payment checks are expected to be mailed in mid-2013.

Free claim form assistance available

Borrowers who have questions or need help filing their claims can contact the settlement administrator, toll-free, at 1-866-430-8358. The information line is staffed Monday through Friday from (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern). Questions can also be sent by email to administrator@nationalmortgagesettlement.com.

Payment will not stop other legal claims

Kelly noted that eligible borrowers do not need to prove financial harm to receive a payment, nor do they give up their rights to pursue a lawsuit against their mortgage servicer or to participate in the Independent Foreclosure Review Process being conducted by federal bank regulators. More information about that program is available at: www.independentforeclosurereview.com.

Eligible borrowers may get a payment from this settlement even if they participate in another foreclosure claims process. However, any payment received may reduce payments borrowers may be eligible to receive in any other foreclosure claim process or legal proceeding.

Eligible borrowers not notified should contact settlement administrator

Borrowers who believe they may qualify for a payment, but did not receive a notice because they have moved should contact the settlement administrator directly to provide that information:

Call toll-free: 1-866-430-8358. The line is staffed Monday through Friday from (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern).

Email: administrator@nationalmortgagesettlement.com

Beware of scams

Borrowers should not need to pay anyone to file their claim.

Kelly cautioned all homeowners to be aware of settlement-related scams. Do not provide personal information or pay money to anyone who calls or emails you claiming that they are providing settlement-related assistance.

If you believe someone is conducting a settlement-related scam, contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555.

Settlement background

The national settlement followed state and federal investigations, which alleged that the five mortgage servicers routinely signed foreclosure-related documents outside the presence of a notary public and without personal knowledge that the facts contained in the documents were correct. This civil law enforcement action also alleged that the servicers committed widespread errors and abuses in their foreclosure processes.

Broad reform of the mortgage servicing process resulted from the settlement, as well as financial relief for borrowers still in their homes through direct loan modification relief, including principal reduction.

For more information about eligibility and filing a claim:

www.NationalMortgageSettlement.com

Email: administrator@nationalmortgagesettlement.com

Call toll-free: 1-866-430-8358 (hearing impaired: 1-866-494-8281). The line is staffed Monday through Friday from (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern).

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