Philadelphia’s major arts center has told the Philly Pops that unless it immediately comes up with rent from its just-finished holiday run, as well as advance payments for concerts in February, the Pops will have to vacate the Kimmel and will no longer be allowed to perform there.
The letter said the Pops had until the next day to pay the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center Inc. $523,643.25, and until Feb. 1 to pay estimated advance fees of $82,815. Or it would face eviction.“We don’t have $600,000 or $500,000. We just don’t have it. They know we don’t have it,” said Pops president Frank Giordano in an interview.
Pops leaders announced in November that poor ticket sales had forced the decision to fold after the end of the 2022-23 season. But the public responded with cries of support, and ticket sales for the Pops’ holiday concerts were strong. The group then announced aTarnopolsky said the “save the pops” campaign doesn’t change the Kimmel’s position.The Pops has already raised “well north” of $200,000, said Corbin, “and that is the patron response we were hoping for.
If the Kimmel payment deadlines aren’t met, all remaining Pops events will be canceled, references to Philly Pops performances will be removed from the Kimmel website, and the Pops will have to remove any property stored at the Kimmel Center, the letter to the Pops stated.