A growing crescendo for Erie’s economy
The Erie Philharmonic
2022 Economic Impact Report
The goal of this analysis is to tell the Erie Philharmonic’s story from a numbers and narrative perspective.
To develop this report, Parker Philips gathered financial and employment data about the Erie Philharmonic, interviewed key stakeholders and members of the community, surveyed audience members, and researched secondary data and information to inform the writing and key messages.
Click below for a downloadable version of the report. You can also view the report directly below.
On the macro-level, the Erie Philharmonic generates $10.3 million in economic impact for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania - 86% of this impact stays right in Erie County.
In 2022, the Erie Philharmonic generated more than $545,000 in state and local tax revenue.
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“When we have opportunities to take students to see professional musicians showing off their artistry in concerts, or when they come over here and visit our schools, it gives our kids an opportunity to aspire to be something professionally or just to continue music beyond their K-12 education in some capacity.”
“It’s a ‘big-city’ thing we are doing.”
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Daniel Meyer, Erie Philharmonic Music Director
Patrons of the Erie Philharmonic are willing to experiment and to accept and enjoy the exciting repertoire being performed by the musicians playing in the orchestra. We've built a degree of trust with the audience that when we take the stage, we believe in the music we're playing, that it has something to say on an emotional, intellectual, or, at best, spiritual level, where the listener is lifted out of their seat and transported to some other realm. There is a shared joy between the musicians and Erie audience.
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Ken Johnston, Erie Philharmonic Concertmaster
At the Erie Philharmonic, we want to provide our audience with a sense of ownership, to instill a love of classical music that reduces perceived barriers. I remember seeing a member of the community at the gas station. He told me I 'looked different without my wings.' I realized the individual was teasing me and referring to my tuxedo tails. While he was not what one may imagine as part of a stereotypical classical music audience, he obviously appreciated the cultural impact of the Erie Philharmonic. Showing people that they love classical music is one of the greatest impacts our organization can have.
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Scott Miller, Past Erie Philharmonic Board President
The Erie Philharmonic illustrates that the arts are vibrant in Erie. It makes my heart warm when I go to to a concert and see so many people, not just retirees, but people my age and younger, that appreciate the high quality performance given by the Erie Phil. It’s a ‘big city‘ thing we are doing.
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Lisa Adams, Past Erie Philharmonic Board President
We have depressed pockets of our community. We've got kids who need some inspiration, who maybe have never seen the Warner on the inside or have never heard music like this before. And they could be the next great musicians, but they have to have the spark of interest and they have to be exposed. So, we do programs going into classrooms and putting instruments in kids’ hands. And we invite them into the theatre for free, to do this incredible thing where they get to see the orchestra perform on the stage. Those kids go home and they're excited about it and they want to come back, and they want to bring their families.
Parker Philips
Parker Philips, Inc. is a women owned, WBENC certified, full-service consulting firm that brings a uniquely effective combination of deep expertise in economic impact, research and strategic communications. Parker Philips prides itself on delivering high quality work that is unique to each client and their needs.
The Parker Philips team has worked extensively in the government, corporate, and non profit world. Our commitment to statistically valid and industry respected methods ensures a defensible report that is conservative.
Parker Philips is headquartered in Erie, PA with offices in Austin, TX, Philadelphia, PA, Springfield, MO, and Youngstown, OH.