Journeys South

Mural Arts Philadelphia

Recipient

Grant Year 2009

Grant Amount $200,000

Status Completed

Updated May 30, 2023

Mural Arts produced Journeys South, exploring South Philadelphia's immigrant history through interactive public art projects that included photography, installations, poetry, and dance. Mural Arts hosted four artist residencies, during which the artists (fine art photographer RA Freidman; choreographer Amanda Miller and video artist Tobin Rothlein; painter and printmaker Michelle Ortiz and documentary photographer Tony Rocco; and poet and 2013 Pew Fellow Frank Sherlock and print artist Erik Ruin) worked with historians and members of the community to develop their projects, based on immigrant stories and histories of the South Philadelphia neighborhood. The resulting temporary artworks were installed in public spaces throughout the neighborhood, on view during the spring of 2011, and Mural Arts provided free walking tours to the public on Saturdays. Mural Arts partnered with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to document the research and artworks on PhilaPlace.org.

uestions of ractice

Love Letter by Steve Powers, produced by Philadelphia Mural Arts Program. Photo by Zoe Strauss.

Interview

Questions of Practice: Mural Arts' Jane Golden on Seeing Creative Opportunity

Recipient

Mural Arts Philadelphia

Mural Arts Philadelphia (formerly Philadelphia Mural Arts Program) is the largest public art program in the US. Mural Arts engages communities in 50–100 public art projects each year and maintains its growing collection through a restoration initiative. Its core program areas—including art education, community murals, and environmental justice—yield unique, project-based learning opportunities for thousands of youth and adults.

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