It requires paint, supplies and a canvas. It requires courage. It takes artistic vision. It requires a purpose. But most importantly — it takes people.
That’s where we decided to start when putting together the Centennial Legacy Mural at 23rd and Market Streets in Philadelphia. We began by looking at our local communities and the people who would be admiring this mural for decades to come.
That’s where we decided to start when putting together the Centennial Legacy Mural at 23rd and Market Streets in Philadelphia. We began by looking at our local communities and the people who would be admiring this mural for decades to come.
The creation of this mural was unlike any done before with Mural Arts. For the first time ever, a record-breaking 18 workshops and paint days were held throughout the seven-county region we serve. These events helped us gain insight into how individuals conceptualized their neighborhoods and what aspirations they held for their communities in the future. Rallying people from across the region, we engaged residents and gave them a greater role in the creative process of the mural. Over a ten-month period, more than 5,000 community members were involved.
While the end result is a beautiful piece of public art that will bring joy to our community for decades, we’re even prouder of the process that went into its creation.
This mural was a true team effort of community members, artists, civic leaders, and creators of positive change. It is a true reflection of the community because it was created by the community.
The memory of the collective effort and the relationships formed over the course of those 10 months will never fade.
“I think what really makes this stand apart is – the broad and thoughtfulness
in terms of outreach. I think the fact that there’s so many different populations that are being touched through this project…it feels like a living project. The vision is changing with the involvement of other people, and I think that keeps it interesting.”
— Ernel Martinez, Muralist as quoted in the South Philly Review
public paint days and workshops throughout seven-county region (a record for Mural Arts Philadelphia)
enthusiastic residents engaged in Cherry Street Pier community paint day
total community members involved over the course of the mural’s creation
When we come together face-to-face to voice
our thoughts and opinions, powerful new ideas emerge that can lead to positive change and mutual understanding in our communities.
On October 17, 2019, On the Table Philly was held for the third year, again proving that productive public discourse is alive and well in the Greater Philadelphia area. The Philadelphia Foundation was one of 11 community foundations across the U.S. participating in On the Table, a national initiative funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The initiative is designed to engage residents and inspire solutions to strengthen communities in the Greater Philadelphia Region by hosting open dialogues on issues that matter.
In the Greater Philadelphia Region, we’re fortunate to have a community of young professionals who are passionate about supporting their local communities. To tap into this cohort, this year we launched NextGen Friends, an initiative designed to activate and engage the next generation of givers and doers in the area and provide them with the resources and connections they need to spark the next wave of positive change in our region.
There are so many ways this group can use their time and talents to improve our community. We see our role as bridging the gap between the organizations that need support and our region’s most capable volunteers and donors. We kicked off our NextGen Friends initiative with a special event at the newly opened Fitler Club, with an evening of information and empowerment amongst our region’s future philanthropic ambassadors. Attendees learned more about how they could get involved in Philadelphia Foundation’s efforts, specifically through initiatives like our Key Skills Hub for pro bono professional volunteers. Throughout the year, we held events in partnership with nonprofits, museums, young friends groups and more to continue to cultivate and plant deep-rooted connections with our region’s emerging leaders, doers and givers.
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