Mural Arts’ annual gala fundraiser is back at the end of the month, and this year’s intention at the Wall Ball will be similar to years past—to celebrate public art and the power of community.
2023 will recognize Mural Arts’ Community Murals department on Thursday, April 27, at the 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. The evening will also be commemorating Sonia Sanchez, Philadelphia’s first poet laureate with a Def Poetry Jam Reunion. Additionally, Sanchez and artist Danny Simmons will receive the honor of becoming Mural Arts’ 2023 Visionary Artist Awardees.
Sanchez made Philly history after Mayor Michael Nutter dubbed her Philadelphia’s first poet laureate, calling her “the longtime conscience of the city” in 2011. Simmons, on the other hand, has made an impact in the city and beyond, and even played an instrumental role in conceiving and co-producing the hit HBO show Def Poetry Jam and won a Tony Award for the Broadway version of the show.
Philadelphians will be able to see a new rendition of the hit at Mural Arts Wall Ball. Tickets start at $250 and can be purchased at wallball.muralarts.
“Through our Community Murals department, we collaborate with community members to imagine and lead projects that build social capital, develop a sense of communal ownership over space, represent diversity, and empower people to make change in their city,” said Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia in a statement.
Golden continued: “These community murals not only highlight important figures and themes from Philadelphia’s history but also bring together neighbors and new friends, reminding us of who we are and where we are going.”
Seven acclaimed poets —Bonafide Rojas, Khemist Mayfield, Ursula Rucker, Derick Cross, Vanessa Hidrary, Kraal ‘Kayo’ Charles, and Lamar Mason— will be in attendance, most of whom will perform in the style of the Def Poetry Jam television series, a release states. Lezlie Harrison, vocalist, bandleader, and on-air radio host at the preeminent jazz radio station, WBGO, will be the MC and will perform during the evening as well.
“We are excited to showcase the incredible talent of Mural Arts’ artists and the transformative power of art at Wall Ball 2023,” said Julia Fleischner, Wall Ball Committee member and Chair of Mural Arts’ Board of Directors in a statement. “We are grateful to our partners Catering by Design, Colibri Workshop, Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia, Signature 57, and Witty Gritty for their support in making this thrilling event possible.”
Mural Arts is also planning on hosting a few other events throughout the end of April. Firstly, the Tacony Lab Community Arts Center has a slew of classes being offered in partnership with City Councilmember Mike Driscoll. Located at 6918 Torresdale Ave., the venue offers art classes for both adults and kids, and a full schedule can be found online on what’s still to come for this month.
Mural fans can also go check out one of Philly’s latest creations, which the organization made in partnership with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.
The new mural: 承前啓後 – The Past Supporting the Future, covers the upper half of the west wall of the 21-story Crane Chinatown Community Center at 10th and Vine, and it was officially unveiled earlier this month on the 12. Prominently featured within the mural is a 54-foot tall crane, a symbol of longevity looking into the future of Chinatown and the AAPI community, according to a release.
The release also states the mural rises on a pathway of paper cranes that emanate from a history scroll showing important events in Chinatown’s past, including the original protest against the highway that galvanized the community, the creation of the Friendship Gate, and the completion of the Crane Chinatown Community Center.
To find out more about what Mural Arts has going on, visit muralarts.org
