Arts and Technology: A Perfect Match

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With three months to go until the first-ever Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center (April 7-May 1, 2011), organizers proudly debut a new facet of the festival -- a strong new media-based presence premiering today, centered around PIFA-customized Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages as well as the premiere of three new The Journey videos.

With a thematic eye on celebrating Paris during the 1910-1920 time period, PIFA programming highlights the idea of collaboration, innovation and creativity that dominated that era as well as today's artistic landscape. The social media campaign will enable PIFA organizers to capture those artistic moments both live and digitally. Whether a 140-character tweet, a five minute video or an informative Facebook post, the Festival heads to the web, in real-time, primed to provide audiences with coveted behind-the-scenes moments.

PIFA followers, friends and fans can expect the digital platforms they know and use every day to be updated continuously with exclusive images, news, facts, events and video.

PIFA fans can:

Follow PIFA on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PIFAphilly or @PIFAphilly

Friend PIFA on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pifa.philly

Watch exclusive PIFA content, including The Journey videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/PIFAPhilly

In addition to the official social media launch, festival organizers are pleased to release three all-new The Journey videos. The video series, available at www.pifa.org and on PIFA's YouTube channel follows six PIFA artists through the personal process of artistic creation. Each artist's Journey is made up of 4-minute episodes as they travel along their creative road to PIFA and their final moment of performance.

The new Journey episodes premiering are:

The Green Fairy Cabaret, Ways to Love and Fly City (Part 1)

Soar along with the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts as they prepare a fantastical, new high-flying show, The Green Fairy, exclusively for PIFA.

How Philly Moves (Part 2)

Renowned photographer and mural artist, JJ Tiziou collaborates with the Philadelphia Mural Arts program to push the boundaries of mural making, as he prepares a 45 foot digital mural for PIFA.

Hope: An Oratorio (Part 3)

Jonathan Leshnoff, one of the nation's most exciting young composers, continues his creation, an original oratorio.

Follow PIFA on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PIFAphilly or @PIFAphilly

Friend PIFA on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pifa.philly

Watch exclusive PIFA content on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/PIFAPhilly

About PIFA -- The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center, launches the city's art and cultural scene onto the world stage with a three-week festival offering performances, exhibits and events for loyal fans and casual attendees. Based on the philosophy of collaboration, innovation and creativity, PIFA's programs represent every arts discipline and include more than 100 partners. Offerings include newly commissioned works, classical performances and exhibits, surprising partnerships featuring local and international artists and exciting explorations of traditional, non-traditional, new and emerging art forms. In homage to the artistic energy of Paris 1910-1920, PIFA celebrates works from that era and new creations inspired by the brashly innovative spirit of the period. The festival was made possible by an extraordinary grant from Philadelphia philanthropist Leonore Annenberg, whose vision for a city-wide celebration of the arts shaped its philosophy and programming. PIFA takes place April 7-May 1, 2011. 

About Kimmel Center, Inc. -- A charitable, not-for-profit organization, Kimmel Center, Inc. owns, manages, supports and maintains the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which includes Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. Kimmel Center, Inc. also manages the Academy of Music, owned by The Philadelphia Orchestra Association and the University of the Arts' Merriam Theater. Our mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience from throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. The 2010/2011 season is sponsored by Citi and the Broadway 2010/2011 season is sponsored by Verizon, and American Airlines. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.

PIFA thanks partners The Kimmel Center, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Red Tettemer, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, and more, as well as CJMpr and the Broadway Tour cast of Jersey Boys, now appearing at the Forrest Theater through December 12, Enterprise Philadelphia and Ridgways for helping to present this event.

For further information on PIFA, including access to the festival, media appearances or interviews, please contact Nina Zucker Associates, 610.667.0706 or [email protected]. For information on sponsorship or festival participation please contact Dawn Frisby-Byers at 215.670.2324 or [email protected]. For general information about the festival, please call 215.790.5800 or visit www.pifa.org.

SOURCE Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts