As October approaches, Mural Arts Philadelphia prepares for its annual celebration, Mural Arts Month 2025.
For over four decades, Mural Arts has partnered with communities throughout Philadelphia to tell the story of its citizens and neighbors. By creating a visual biography through murals, they have turned the city into a canvas of its own inhabitants and history, showcasing its beauty in a brand new way.
This year, Mural Arts, in partnership with TD Bank, will celebrate the ‘Voices of Philly’ — those who have shaped this city with various events that showcase the experience, identity, memory and imagination of those voices.
During this month-long celebration, Mural Arts will feature mural dedications, panel discussions, film screenings, interactive workshops, captivating public tours, and even more an exciting lineup of events. Each special event will reflect on the stories of the citizens of Philadelphia, viewing works across walls, across blocks, across Philadelphia, displaying the city through a new lens.
“For over 40 years, Mural Arts has worked with artists and local communities to transform walls into kaleidoscopic canvases that honor lived experience, uplift shared identities, and impact lives through meaningful storytelling,” said Jane Golden, executive director and founder of Mural Arts Philadelphia. “This October, we’re proud to offer an exciting calendar of Mural Arts Month events that activate our collective imagination and celebrate the many distinctive voices that shape our city.”
Among the included events and activities will be a line-up of specially curated panel discussions celebrating the Voices of Philly, taking place on Friday, Oct. 3 (Bridging Worlds: Voices at the Intersection of Art and Immigration), Thursday, Oct. 16 (Legendary Voices: Artists Putting Philly on the Map), and Thursday, Oct. 30 (Love, Tribute, Joy: Voices from the Philly LGBTQ+ Arts Scene).
Mural Arts will also host specialty walking and trolley tours on Friday, Oct. 10 (Voices of Philly: Center City Poetry & Mural Tour), Saturday, Oct. 11 (Mural Mile Tour with artist Marian Bailey), Saturday, Oct. 18 (Masterpieces East Trolley Tour), Sunday, Oct. 19 (Mural Miles Running Tour), and Wednesday, Oct. 22 (Exploring the Old & New: Mural Arts through the Years Walking Tour).
Additional events include a Halloween-themed First Friday celebration with Tacony LAB’s; a special screening of ‘Paint Me a Road Out of Here,’ a documentary that explores the journey of the painting Paint Me a Road out of Here, its two artists, and the role it played in ending mass incarceration of Black women; and a host of dedications and family-friendly activities featuring Philadelphia’s newest murals and public art projects.
For more information, including a complete list of Mural Arts Month events and activities, visit muralarts.org.
