Two titans of the Philadelphia arts scene have announced a three-year partnership to celebrate art, culture and community. Mural Arts Philadelphia (Mural Arts) and the Mann Center for the Performing Arts (the Mann) will collaborate on three major initiatives between 2025 and 2027, designed to inspire, engage, and empower the local community.
This partnership comes ahead of two significant milestones — the 250th anniversary of the United States and the Mann’s 50th anniversary at its current location in Fairmount Park. The joint effort will blend Mural Arts’ renowned expertise in public art and the Mann’s legacy as a cultural and artistic hub for the betterment of the local community, with a special focus on West Philadelphia and Parkside.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Mann on this exciting three-year collaboration,” said Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, in a statement. “This partnership embodies our shared commitment to community engagement, creative expression, and celebrating Philadelphia’s rich cultural heritage.”
Over the next three years, the partnership will feature three highlighted initiatives, including multiple Mural Arts activations during the Mann’s annual celebration of Black excellence, a mural installation celebrating the Mann’s 50th anniversary in 2026, and a collaborative summer camp in 2027.
The first event, occurring as a part of the Mann’s annual “Voices of Hope: An Event in Celebration of Black Excellence,” is scheduled for June 9. The event will see Mural Arts curate live painting activations by artists from its Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists program. These activations will highlight Philadelphia’s cultural unity and showcase the contributions of Black artists in shaping the community. Voices of Hope is free to attend, but registration is required.
The next will occur as a part of the celebration of the Mann’s 50th anniversary. Mural Arts will curate a mural installation along the Mann’s Highmark Skyline Stage fence line that will remain in place through 2030. The ten-panel mural, created by West Parkside artists, will tell the story of the Mann’s legacy.
Finally, Mural Arts’ Art Education department will partner with the Mann to offer a unique summer camp experience for students from Philadelphia’s school district and charter schools in 2027. At this interdisciplinary camp, participants will explore visual arts, gain behind-the-scenes insights into the operations at the Mann, and collaborate with one another on hands-on projects that inspire creativity and curiosity.
“The Mann has a long history of residencies with Philadelphia’s premier performing arts companies. Extending that legacy to the visual arts with Mural Arts Philadelphia is a remarkable opportunity for our organization, for the artists and audiences who enjoy our campus each season, and for our greater Parkside community,” said Catherine Cahill, Mann president and CEO, in a statement. “Public art is a treasure, and we are thrilled that the Mann will be home to the creative works of Mural Arts’ artists.”
For more information, visit muralarts.org or manncenter.org.
