In Tuesday’s (10/8) Philadelphia Inquirer, Peter Dobrin writes, “Philadelphia’s Astral Artists, the small but important Philadelphia arts group that has boosted careers and fostered the artistic development of classical musicians nationally, is shutting down. Facing what leaders describe as an increasingly difficult arts climate, the group will produce two more concerts this fall, set the musicians from its current roster on a path, and then close its doors. The exact timing is uncertain, but the end will come quickly—by the end of the nonprofit’s current season or before. A variety of factors contributed to the decision, which was approved by the Astral board Sept. 27, including some higher expenses and increased difficulty raising money from foundations and individuals, said Lourdes Starr, president and CEO…. ‘We did not leave any stone unturned, but finances are the foundation, and when it’s not steady we can’t pretend,’ Starr said…. Vera Wilson founded Astral in 1992 as a bridge for highly accomplished musicians between college graduation and the professional world. It has provided the personalized career advice of a professional artist manager, bookings for concert appearances, relationships with collaborating musicians, and commissioned new work.”
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