First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia - Culture and Civic Life

Culture and Civic Life

First Unitarian is a regional community center that provides meeting space on a non-discriminatory basis for many different groups and activities: yoga and aerobics classes, meditation, Narcotics Anonymous meetings, forums by the Americans for Democratic Action and Common Cause, Black Women’s Art Festival, Islamic Relief Day of Dignity, Philadelphia Fringe Festival events, and city-wide vigils honoring victims of violence in Philadelphia.

First Unitarian is home to a concert-grade Casavant pipe organ. With its convenient Center City location, First Church is known as a prime entertainment venue for all ages. Music-for-Children classes, classical music concerts by Dolce Suono, and for young indie rock fans, alternative and punk rock concerts. Music and Arts at First Philadelphia are among the strongest and most diverse of the Center City Philadelphia Churches.

In November 2007, Rolling Stone magazine featured the church as one of the top alternative rock venues thanks to the success of the events organized by R5 Productions in the basement, chapel, and sanctuary. Since the mid-90s, the church's basement, Griffin Hall, known colloquially as "The Church" or simply "First Unitarian" by show goers, has been a popular venue for small-scale independent music concerts in the city. The concerts have featured mostly punk and indie rock artists in the past but have expanded to include other genres as well. An R5 Productions punk-rock concert draws hundreds of young listeners to the sanctuary with a drug- and alcohol-free mission.