Kimmel cuts program, staff

The cutbacks come in response to the Broad Street cultural institution’s finances, and represent an structural re-organization.

The Kimmel Center has laid off some of its executive staff and will cancel a portion of its programming next season. The cutbacks come in response to the Broad Street cultural institution’s finances, and represent an structural re-organization. [audio: 100217PCKIMMEL.mp3]

Leaders of the performance venue say they want to broaden its appeal.  To that end, they’re cutting many programs to the bone and eliminating 15 staff positions.

President Anne Ewers wants to make the Kimmel more available for third-party presenters to rent – to do so, it needs to clear the decks. Next season, the Kimmel will not present some of its in-house programs like Jazz Fridays – and the dance program “Movers and Shakers.”  Ewers says she wants to know what people want to see.

Ewers: Right now we have wonderful offerings, but not everything is attuned to the broad interest and scope of the community. This is a new way of touching broader audience, new way to communicate with our audience. We need a younger, more ethnically diverse demographic.

Ewers says of those programs on the chopping block, some of the more popular music and dance performances will be selected for a “Best Of” program.