Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates

TO USE PARTICIPATORY PUBLIC ART TO INSPIRE CHANGE IN PEOPLE, PLACE, AND PRACTICE, CREATING OPPORTUNITY FOR A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE PHILADELPHIA. ALL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS SUPPORT OUR VISION OF A WORLD WHERE ALL PEOPLE HAVE A SAY IN THE FUTURE OF THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES; WHERE ART AND CREATIVE PRACTICE ARE RESPECTED AS CRITICAL TO SENSE OF SELF AND PLACE; AND WHERE CULTURAL VIBRANCY REFLECTS AND HONORS ALL HUMAN IDENTITIES AND EXPERIENCES.

PUBLIC ART & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT - FOR 40 YEARS, MURAL ARTS HAS WORKED WITH COMMUNITIES TO CREATE A COLLECTION THAT HAS MADE PHILADELPHIA "THE MURAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD". WE SERVE GEOGRAPHIC AND AFFILIATED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND PRODUCE APPROXIMATELY 120 PUBLIC ART PROJECTS ANNUALLY. MURAL ARTS LEADS PROJECTS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE LOCAL NEEDS OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, WITH THE COMMON THREADS OF PRODUCING EXCEPTIONAL ARTWORK AND ARTISTS ENGAGED IN DEEPLY ROOTED COMMUNITY PRACTICES AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CHANGE. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE TO CHANNEL THEIR EXPERIENCES, IDENTITIES AND IDEAS INTO THE DIRECTION OF EACH PROJECT.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE - MURAL ARTS SERVES BETWEEN 50 AND 75 JUSTICE-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY THROUGH THE GUILD, THE REC CREW, PRISON PROGRAMS AND OTHER RESTORATIVE JUSTICE THEMED PROJECTS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE GUILD AND REC CREW DEVELOP CAREER SKILLS THROUGH DAILY WORKSHOPS AND EXPOSURE TO CAREER/EDUCATION PATHWAYS. THE RJ PROGRAMS FURTHER PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS, AND NON-JUDGMENTAL SPACES WHERE RETURNING CITIZENS AND OTHER JUSTICE-IMPACTED PEOPLE CAN REIMAGINE THEMSELVES AS VALUABLE AND CAPABLE. WE USE A TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS, WHILE STRIVING TO RESTORE JUSTICE-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT PHILADELPHIA.

PORCH LIGHT - MURAL ARTS' PORCH LIGHT DEPARTMENT SITUATES ART AND HUMAN CONNECTION AT THE HEART OF RECOVERY, RESILIENCE, AND HEALING THROUGHOUT PHILADELPHIA. IN COLLABORATION WITH A CAREFULLY SELECTED COHORT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CLINICS AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, PORCH LIGHT EMPLOYS A DEEPLY COLLABORATIVE CREATIVE PROCESS, LED BY HIGHLY QUALIFIED ARTISTS, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE TANGIBLE SOCIAL BENEFIT FOR PEOPLE, COMMUNITIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS. MURAL ARTS HAS COLLABORATED CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY SERVICES (DBHIDS) TO DESIGN PROGRAMS SINCE 2007. PORCH LIGHT ALSO LEADS COLOR ME BACK, MURAL ARTS' SAME-DAY WORK AND PAY PROGRAM, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019 AND HAS REACHED OVER 1000 PARTICIPANTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOUSING OR ECONOMIC INSECURITY.