Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Leader Peggy Amsterdam Dies at Age 60

Peggy Amsterdam, head of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, has died at the age of 60. Amsterdam lost her battle with cancer in her home early Saturday at her home in Pennsylvania. She served as the President of the Cultural Alliance since 2000 and, during her time, more than doubled the organization's membership.

Amsterdam vehemently fought a city proposal that would have cut millions of dollars that helped fund the arts in Philadelphia in 2004, causing the city to eventually reduce the cuts to a mere 20% of the proposed value. The cuts did, however, force the removal of the Office of Arts and Culture, a group Amsterdam revived in 2008.

Most recently, she fought the proposed state sales tax on cultural performance and venues. The proposed tax failed with the strong opposition.

A memorial service will be held for Amsterdam at 11:00am on December 30th at the Phildaelphia Theater Company, followed by a reception in 12:30pm at the World Cafe Live.

Amsterdam is survived by her sons David and John, her brother Charles Spiegelman, her moher Janet Spiegelman, and her granddaughter Elizabeth Amsterdam.