Our Mission
The Philadelphia Artists’ Collective (PAC) is a site-specific classical theatre company. Founded in 2008, PAC is a cohort of artists dedicated to creating unique theatrical events that examine our humanity through rare classical plays and multidisciplinary collaboration. By staging rarely produced texts, PAC expands the classical canon to be more inclusive of world cultures. PAC tells stories with an engaging and visceral clarity, inspiring audiences to lean in and more deeply consider the fundamental elements of humanity. A vital part of the PAC's mission is The Artist-In-Residence Program, which bridges the gap between performance and visual art, encouraging dialogue among artists and enriching encounters with audiences. PAC has staged productions in a variety of site-specific locations throughout Philadelphia, including the Woodlands Mansion & Cemetery, the USS Olympia, and the historic Physick House. In 2015, PAC won the June and Steve Wolfson Award for an Evolving Theatre Company.
Our Beliefs
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Art Belongs To Everyone.
We do not believe in "high" art. We believe everyone should have access to art that feeds, enriches, and challenges us. At the PAC, this means affordable ticket prices and free public events. |
The Classics Belong to Everyone.
They are living, breathing events. They do not belong to scholarship or to museums. They belong to human experience: life, death, love, loss, and gain. We do not go to a Shakespeare play to learn about Shakespeare. We go to learn about ourselves. |
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Meaning is Not Created in Isolation.
The PAC aims to be an active breeding ground for artists of all disciplines. Our current Resident Artist Program creates a dialogue between performing and visual artists; the ultimate goal is to create a destination where painters, sculptors, musicians, dancers, writers, and performers can share time and space to inspire, illuminate, and challenge each other and the world around them. |
Art Builds a More Just and Equitable Society.
It demands curiosity, encourages empathy, and leaves questions unanswered. Good, we say. |
...But why rare classics?
The classics let us wonder over worlds that seem so foreign; worlds without smartphones and airplanes. But as a species, we haven't really changed. The technology changes, but the humanity stays the same.
We still love, dream, regret, and laugh the way we have for thousands of years.
And rare classics provide a useful naïveté. We know Romeo and Juliet won't make it through the night. But most of us don't know if Silvia and Harlequin are meant for each other, or if the Duchess of Malfi will see the light of day. We're surprised, challenged, delighted. If classic plays and literature feel like a lot of work, we say: good. Most things worth doing in this life aren't easy. We like a challenge. Especially ones that celebrate beauty, and make the world a better place.
We still love, dream, regret, and laugh the way we have for thousands of years.
And rare classics provide a useful naïveté. We know Romeo and Juliet won't make it through the night. But most of us don't know if Silvia and Harlequin are meant for each other, or if the Duchess of Malfi will see the light of day. We're surprised, challenged, delighted. If classic plays and literature feel like a lot of work, we say: good. Most things worth doing in this life aren't easy. We like a challenge. Especially ones that celebrate beauty, and make the world a better place.
