Grant to Philadelphia Orchestra Prompts Controversy

Some board members of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund are upset that the city’s mayor, Michael Nutter, decided to provide a $250,000 unscheduled grant from their organization to the Philadelphia Orchestra without the cultural fund’s advice or standard review process, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The board has yet to take action, fearing a negative reaction from the administration. Gary Steuer, the city’s chief cultural officer, said the mayor’s decision was a “lesson learned” and that the emergency grant was a unique situation. “I don’t think it’s something that would become common practice,” he said.