Mural Arts Program: Community Murals

Community Murals

The Mural Arts Program works with more than 100 communities each year to create murals that reflect the culture of Philadelphia's neighborhoods. Mural projects often include stabilization of abandoned lots and revitalization of open spaces. Our community partners include block captains, neighborhood associations, public schools, community development corporations, local nonprofits, and city agencies. We strive to coordinate mural projects with existing strategies for community development, thereby leveraging grassroots social capital to build positive momentum and stronger results.

How We Create Murals

When you see a finished mural on a wall, you are looking at the result of a very long process. There are many steps between the moment a mural is conceived and the day it is dedicated. These steps can vary somewhat, depending on how a mural is funded and where it is located. Most murals are created through the same general sequence, which usually takes from three-to-six months.

I've seen murals bring people together. They don't solve all of a neighborhood's problems, but they can bring new life and energy to the people who live there. They can be a catalyst for change.

—Donald Gensler, Muralist

Ideas for murals come from a number of sources. Usually mural ideas come from a community, but sometimes the Mural Arts Program will notice a good wall in a neighborhood and will create a mural there in partnership with local residents. Other times a City Council member or other public representative will request a mural in a particular location.

There are other important considerations that go into creating a mural, such as ensuring that new murals are distributed equally among Philadelphia's communities. Often, the community meetings we facilitate to discuss mural themes also serve as a safe and constructive outlet for community members to express concerns, tensions or aesthetics related to subjects that go beyond mural-making. When opportunities arise, our staff works with community organizations to create programming like workshops, symposia and other special events pertinent to community concerns related to the mural theme.

Bridging the Diaspora, © 2008 City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program / Willis Humphrey, 5741 Woodland Avenue, Sponsored by the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health, Photo by Jack Ramsdale

The Mural Arts Program includes the community in every step of the mural-making process, from selecting a theme to selecting a muralist, and from collaborating on a design to celebrating the mural's creation. This way the mural fulfills its intention by becoming a living part of the community long after the project is completed.

We strive to have our mural projects represent collaboration. The mural-making process builds lasting community relationships, bringing together people whose paths might otherwise never have crossed. When diverse community members have joined together to promote the community, the finished mural celebrates their collective creative force.

Independence Starts Here, © 2008 City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program / Donald Gensler, Hahnemann University Hospital, 216 N. Broad Street, Sponsored by the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services, the Mayor's Commission on People with Disabilities and the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Photo by Jack Ramsdale

Apply for a Mural

Because demand for murals far exceeds availability of resources, the Mural Arts Program has a community mural application process to help facilitate decision-making. Download application [224K PDF]*. The Mural Arts Program reviews applications on a rolling basis. All selections are contingent on available funding.

Transformation, © 2008 City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program / Eric Okdeh, Elwyn, Inc., 4040 Market Street, Sponsored by the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health/Mental Retardation Services, and the City of Philadelphia, Mural Arts Program, Photo by Jack Ramsdale

The Muralist's Role

Muralists are selected based on their skill with the desired subject matter and their ability to work in concert with residents and other stakeholders to develop a mural that best reflects the interests of the community. Interested artists can apply to work with us by downloading the artist's application and submitting examples of their work. All mediums are accepted. The Mural Arts Program is an equal opportunity employer. Download application [190K PDF]*.

The Community Advisory Board

The Mural Arts Program has an advisory board of 12 community leaders who live in various parts of the city and have had experience in the mural process. With their help, we are engaged in an ongoing discussion about how we can better our outreach and community process. The Community Advisory Board meets quarterly and advocates for the Mural Arts Program in a variety of forums when needed.

For more information about the Community Advisory Board please contact Cheryl Durgans, Community Murals Project Manager, at (215) 685-0739 or cheryl.durgans@muralarts.org.

Current Projects

For a list of current and planned community mural projects, please see our list of upcoming projects [50K PDF]*. If you are interested in participating in the community process for any of the murals listed, please email Cathy Harris at cathy.harris@muralarts.org or call 215-685-0755.

* In order to read PDFs, you need Adobe Reader. Download it here.