TheMural Arts Program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, began in 1984 as
part of a campaign to eradicate graffiti citywide. The Anti-Graffiti
Network hired muralist Jane Golden to reach out to graffiti writers
and to redirect their energies from destructive graffiti writing to
constructive mural painting. Since then, over 3.000 murals have been
realized.
Mural
painting they created instantly added color, beauty, and life to a
tired, industrial city struggling with dozens of economic distress
and population loss. The outcomes of the program were nothing less
than magical! From the beginning, Golden witnessed how mural-making
changed lives and how the murals themselves began to mend the urban
aesthetic fabric, each has become a distinctive part of the city’s
streetscapes.
The
murals also provided a support structure for these young men and
women to refine their artistic skills, empowering them to take an
active role in beautifying their own neighborhoods. The program is
currently one of Philadelphia's largest employers of artists,
employing over 300 artists a year.
Public
art programs provides a unique opportunity for local engagement. Over
the years, Philadelphia’s Mural Art Program has brought artists and
community members, schools, grassroots organizations together in a
collaborative process that transforms public spaces and individual
lives. A recent endeavor of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is
The Porch Light Initiative.
The
Porch Light Initiative is a three-year program that creates
partnerships between health service providers, artists, residents,
and individuals receiving treatment for behavioral health challenges.
Together these partnerships create public art that raises awareness
for community health.
More
info
www.muralarts.org
photo credits Murals.org
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