The historical society of pennsylvania will undertake a project to support "soul of america," a 12-month preservation and access project of society's playbill collection

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded The Historical Society of Pennsylvania $108,782 on October 1, 2025, under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) to support "Soul of America," a 12-month preservation and access project of the Society's playbill collection.

The recipient's archival staff will provide conservation treatment of the collection, rehouse materials in acid-free boxes and folders, arrange and catalog the holdings, and create a new finding aid to enhance public accessibility. The collection comprises 53 linear feet of playbills, broadsides, programs, theater publications, scrapbooks, clippings, photographs, illustrations, and related materials documenting nearly 250 years of Philadelphia performing arts, including theatrical plays, classical music concerts, minstrel shows, circus acts, and vaudeville.

Performance occurs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027.

The full collection consists of 53 linear feet of playbills, broadsides, programs, theater publications, scrapbooks, clippings, photographs, illustrations, and other materials documenting almost 250 years of philadelphia performing arts, especially in theater and music. Material represented in the collection range from theatrical plays and classical music concerts to minstrel shows, circus acts, vaudeville, and other forms of entertainment. In this project, the society's archival staff will provide conservation treatment and then rehouse the collection in acid-free boxes and folders, arrange and catalog them, and create a new finding aid to make the collection more accessible to the public.