Mural Arts Month 2025 is here!
MURAL ARTS MONTH 2025: VOICES OF PHILLY
This October, Mural Arts Philadelphia celebrates the voices that shape our city—voices rooted in experience, identity, memory, and imagination.
Stories are more than words or images. They carry history and joy. They introduce us to people we haven’t met, places we thought we knew, and ideas we didn’t expect. They are bridges, linking past to present, memory to vision, one neighbor to another.
This month, we invite you to follow those stories across walls, across blocks, across Philadelphia—and see your city anew.
MURAL ARTS FEST 2025
Saturday, September 13, 2–7 pm | Rain Date: Sunday, September 14, 2–7 pm
The Oval, 2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, PHL
RSVP FOR MURAL ARTS FEST HERE!
PRESENTED BY TD BANK
Join us at Mural Arts Fest at The Oval—a FREE day of art, music, and activities with a sneak peek at October’s Mural Arts Month.
Live DJ sets and performances from Interna$hional Bounce, Plantain Party, TAMEARTZ, ThursdayNightGroove, Vinyl Tap 215, Trumpet Chics, and Carla Gamble
Live Radio Stage
Food and beer garden by Libertee Grounds
Free Water Ice while supplies last
Airbrushing, Henna, and printmaking for all ages
Hilo Fiber Bar Activation
Dalish Art Live Portrait Drawing
Kid-friendly fun with facepainting, balloon animals, button and friendship bracelet-making, coloring, and bounce basketball
Live Mural Painting and outdoor gallery
Artist Vendor market featuring local talent
Movement activity with Lululemon
Community pop-ups with partners across Philly
… and more!
Thank you to our Sponsors for Mural Arts Fest
MURAL ARTS MONTH EVENTS
Special Events
Specialty Curated Panel Discussions highlighting Voices of Philly
IMMIGRANT VOICES OF PHILLY | Friday, October 3 | 6 pm–8 pm | Location TBA
This panel discussion honors the work and contributions of public artists who straddle cultural landscapes both here and abroad, either as immigrants to this country or as the direct descendants of immigrants. Learn more about these artists and how they provide vessels for lived experience and representation, emblazoning previously unheard stories across the communal walls of our city.
LEGENDARY VOICES OF PHILLY | Thursday, October 16 | 7 pm–9 pm | Mural City Cellars
Don’t miss this panel discussion of artists, curated by Mural Arts’ Executive Director and Founder, Jane Golden, who has inspired and influenced the direction of Mural Arts Philadelphia for over 40+ years of public artmaking. Learn more about how Mural Arts has collaborated with some of the most significant public artists in our city over four decades to make tangible impacts on neighborhoods, systems, and people.
LGBTQ+ VOICES OF PHILLY | Thursday, October 30 | 6 pm–8 pm | Location TBA
This special event features Philadelphia City Councilwoman Rue Landau and a panel of LGBTQ+ artists and influencers who collaborate with their community to affirm and celebrate their stories in public spaces. Plus: Hear more about “LGBTQ+ Heroes,” one of Mural Arts’ major upcoming projects in 2026, in partnership with Voyeur Nightclub, Washington Square West Civic Association, and Councilmember Rue Landau’s office.
VOICES OF PHILLY: Research on the Impact of Murals for Philadelphians
Thursday, October 9 | 9:30 am – 12:30 pm | Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania | 3401 Walnut St, Suite 417B, PHL
This Mural Arts Institute event brings together cross-disciplinary researchers from the University of Pennsylvania to share new research on the impact of murals on Philadelphians. Between lightning rounds of research presentations and panel discussions, featured public art practitioners and civic leaders will connect their own observations with the research work presented. This event will exemplify how murals and the work of Mural Arts are integral to shaping a more connected and positive Philadelphia. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania include Anjan Chatterjee, MD Professor, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Katherine N. Cotter, PhD, Associate Director of Research for the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project, Positive Psychology Center, and Maya Moritz, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Criminology.
Mural Arts Tours
Mural Arts will offer special walking and trolley tours throughout October. Guests will learn about the city’s stunning collection, which makes Philadelphia the “Mural Capital of the World.” These tours provide a fantastic opportunity to explore and appreciate the city’s vibrant mural arts scene.
Specialty Tours
Voices of Philly Poetry Walking Tour
Friday, October 10, 2025 | 5 – 6:30 pm | Cost: $30
In celebration of Mural Arts Month, the organization presents a special, first-0f-its-kind walking tour that brings together visual art and spoken word. Guests will explore Center City’s celebrated murals with a professionally trained guide, while five poets illustrative of Philadelphia’s spirit perform original works written in response to the murals along the route. Featured poets include Alina Pleskova, Joseph Earl Thomas, Enoch the Poet, Maya Angelique and Kirwyn.
In addition to learning about Mural Arts’ 40-plus-year history and the stories behind the artworks, attendees will experience how poetry adds new layers of meaning and connection to Philadelphia’s public art. This one-time event offers a unique opportunity to see and hear the city through the voices that shape it.
This tour leaves from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Hamilton Building (128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102) and ends at the same location.
Mural Mile Walking Tour with artist Marian Bailey
Saturday, October 11 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | Cost: $27 for adults and $21 for children 12 and under
Get to know Mural Arts Philadelphia’s world-renowned collection on foot along the Mural Mile, featuring a professionally trained tour guide along with the talented muralist Marian Bailey, who will provide an artist’s perspective of some of the iconic murals on this route. Guests will learn about the inspiring stories behind each mural, as well as the organization’s 40-year history. The tour will include a special stop at Bailey’s new mural for the Philadelphia Film Society. Bailey is a self-taught visual artist whose work explores themes of memory, history, and identity through the use of digital and physical media. Bailey’s works are often characterized by her use of bold colors and dynamic color blocking.
This tour leaves from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Hamilton Building (128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102) and ends at the same location.
Masterpieces East Trolley Tour
Saturday, October 18 | 10 – 11:30 am | Cost: $38 for adults and $28 for children 12 and under
Explore the show-stopping murals east of Broad Street with the Masterpieces East tour for an in-depth look at some of Philadelphia’s bold and brilliant public art. This route features inspiring works such as the iconic Jackie Robinson mural by artist David McShane.
This tour leaves from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Hamilton Building (128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102) and ends at the same location.
Exploring the Old & New: Mural Arts through the Years Walking Tour with Jane Golden and Conrad Benner
Wednesday, October 22 | 5 – 7:30 pm | Cost: $30
Take a walk in Fairmount with Executive Director Jane Golden and Streets Dept’s Conrad Benner to see a variety of murals that showcase some of the organization’s earliest work. Additionally, guests will have the chance to explore more recent murals in Spring Arts. The tour will begin with Jesse and Katie’s Folding the Prism at 11th & Spring Garden Streets and conclude at Mural Arts’ main office, where there will be further discussion and light refreshments.
For a complete schedule or to book your unforgettable experience, visit muralarts.org/tours. Advanced tickets are required for all tours.
Mural Dedications
Films Shaped by a City Mural Dedication
Friday, October 3 | 12 – 2 pm | Film Society Center | 1415 Sansom Street, Philadelphia
In 2023, Mural Arts Philadelphia, BlackStar Projects, and the Philadelphia Film Center initiated an exciting new mural project celebrating the Philadelphia film community. To create the list of films and organizations featured, a public survey asked Philadelphians which films and organizations impacted them the most. An advisory panel made up of representatives from BlackStar Projects, PhillyCAM, Scribe Video Center, Philadelphia Film Society, and others was created to advance the work. The result is the vibrant new mural, Films Shaped by a City, designed by Marian Bailey, now adorning the Sansom Street side of the Philadelphia Film Center. The mural focuses on some of the key films and film-related organizations that have impacted filmmaking, film presentation, and film-related training in Philadelphia. More information about the project.
Njideka Akunyiki Crosby The Beautyful Ones Mural Dedication
Sunday, October 4 | 12 – 4 pm | 5547 Chester Ave, Philadelphia
Mural Arts and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have engaged artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby to recreate the artwork, “The Beautyful Ones” Series #1c, as a permanent mural in Philadelphia. The partnership between the two organizations serves to draw internationally renowned artists to the city and make works of the highest caliber accessible to all Philadelphians. In her methodically layered compositions, Crosby (b. 1983) combines painted depictions of people, places, and subjects from her life with photographic transfers derived from her personal image archive as well as Nigerian magazines and other mass media sources. The resulting works are visual tapestries that vivify the personal and social dimensions of contemporary life while evocatively expressing the intricacies of African diasporic identity. This will be the artist’s first permanent work of public art.
Marian Anderson Rec Center Mural Dedication
Wednesday, October 15 | 3 – 5 pm | 740 S 17th St, Philadelphia
Artist Mark Loughney collaborated with youth from the Marian Anderson Recreation Center’s after-school program to create a mural that inspires hope for the community. This project is the last of six citywide murals created through a collaboration between Mural Arts’ Art Education Department and the Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Department. Youth at participating rec centers engage in a multi-week program that builds foundational art skills, nurtures creative expression, and strengthens self-confidence. Each program culminates in a mural designed and painted on-site by the students, working alongside their instructors and the Mural Arts Rec Crew.
Delaware Connections Mural Dedication
Thursday, October 16 | 11 am – 1 pm | 4725 Richmond Street, Philadelphia
The Delaware River Connections mural celebrates and recognizes the impact and interactions of humans with the Delaware River, including the Lenape Nations, colonial and industrial times, and the Bridesburg neighborhood of today. The mural was completed over the summer by artist Meg Lemieur, with assistance from Cody Stuhltrager and Andrew Geller.
CAICU: Norris Square Senior Center Mural Dedication
Saturday, October 18 | 11 am – 1 pm | Norris Square Senior Community Center | 2121 N Howard St, Philadelphia
On any weekday at the Norris Square Senior Community Center, nearly 100 lively seniors gather for hot lunch, enjoy conversations, play games, craft, dance, take part in weekly Catholic Mass, and access various social services. Artists Betsy Casañas and Celso González have teamed up to create a new mural honoring Carmen Aponte, the first Latina lawyer in Pennsylvania, the center’s namesake. Additionally, the mural showcases scenes of community activities, such as playing dominoes and dancing, and the center’s dance troupe, “Grupo Alegria,” which celebrates Puerto Rican culture through movement. This initiative is part of CAICU, an ongoing social art and cultural organizing series led by Philadelphia-based curator Marángeli Mejía-Rabell and artist Celso González, taking place in Philadelphia’s Norris Square neighborhood and Loiza, Puerto Rico.
Ethiopian Cultural Center Mural Dedication
Tuesday, October 21 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | 44th & Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Mural Arts is partnering with the Ethiopian Cultural Center, located at 44th and Chestnut, to create a new mural on their facade. This mural will be unique because it will be designed by local photographer and filmmaker Sosena Solomon. Sosena is an Ethiopian American and currently teaches at the Community College of Philadelphia. Her recent work includes a commission by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the World Monuments Fund to produce a 12-part film series that documents her journey across Africa to showcase the continent’s rich cultural heritage. In collaboration with the Ethiopian Cultural Center’s board and with input from the community, she will develop a mural using her photographs from her travels across Ethiopia, along with references provided by the Ethiopian community in Philadelphia.
El Bloque de Oro Mural Dedication
Wednesday, October 24 | 10 am – 12 pm | 2700 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia
Mural Arts, in partnership with HACE, developed artistic storefront enhancements along North 5th Street’s “El Bloque de Oro,” a key commercial corridor for Philadelphia’s Latino community. Artist Henry Morales designed custom murals, signage, and other improvements for installation at three different properties. The artist engaged with two senior living facilities in the area and six different business owners along the 2700 block of N. 5th Street to gather input, which included conversations about the neighborhood’s history, personal immigration stories, and each person’s national origin. From these conversations, the artist developed designs that include the national flowers, historically significant patterns, and quotes from the business owners. Each design is a unique composition, custom-made for the businesses. Together, they tell the story of countless individuals who continue to uplift and underscore the historical importance of Philadelphia’s Latino community.
Chew Playground Mural Dedication
Sunday, October 25 | 11 am – 1 pm | 19th and Ellsworth Streets
This long-awaited new mural at Chew Playground in the Point Breeze community is a collaboration between colorist Calo Rosa, whose designs feature beautiful patterns and vibrant colors, and Gabe Tiberino, who has designed and painted many portraits of community members who have contributed to the center over the years.
The mural features tribute portraits of Charles Chew, Miss Dot Perrine, Karen Harris, Darryl Coates and the Sigma Sharks, Kenyatta Bey, and participants in the Point Breeze Youth Development Basketball League, Council President Kenyatta Johnson, and PA Congressman Jordan A. Harris. The mural also spotlights the many children who use this recreation center and playground regularly.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Mural Dedication
Saturday, October 30 | 1 – 3 pm | Green Street Friends School | 20 W. Armat Street
Mural Arts and the Center for Black Digital Research will dedicate a powerful and inspiring mural honoring the life and legacy of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825–1911), poet, orator, abolitionist, suffragist, and one of the most influential Black women of the 19th century.
As part of #Harper200, a year-long bicentennial celebration marking 200 years since Harper’s birth, this special event will unveil the new public mural by Philadelphia-based artist Athena Scott, located on the exterior wall of Green Street Friends School. This vibrant artwork pays tribute to Harper’s lifelong fight for freedom, education, and justice, and reflects the spirit of community that continues to animate her legacy.
Additional Events
Paint Me a Road Out of Here Film Screening
Wednesday, October 8 | 6 – 0 pm | The Fitler Club | 24 S 24th St, Philadelphia
Featuring artists Faith Ringgold, Mary Enoch, and Elizabeth Baxter, Paint Me a Road Out of Here uncovers the whitewashed history of Faith’s masterpiece “For the Women’s House” and follows its 50-year journey from Rikers Island to the Brooklyn Museum in a heartbreaking, funny, and true parable for a world without mass incarceration. Catherine Gund directs this award-winning film.
Chuwi Concert @ Taller Puertorriqueño
Saturday, October 11 | 7 – 11 pm | Taller Puertorriqueño | 2600 N 5th St, Philadelphia
Join Mural Arts Philadelphia, CAICU, Taller Puertorriqueño, and AfroTaino for a musical experience with Chuwi, a genre-blending Puerto Rican band redefining the sound of the island with a bold mix of plena, indie, and Caribbean rhythms LIVE at Taller Puertorriqueño as part of their USA Tour!
Hailing from Isabela, this dynamic quartet—featuring siblings Lorén Aldarondo, Wester, and Willy, and family friend Adrian Lopez—has quickly built a loyal fan base through their infectious energy, heartfelt lyrics, and magnetic live performances. With over 10 million monthly listeners and a headline-making collaboration with Bad Bunny on the track “WELTiTA,” Chuwi is not just riding the wave—they’re making it.
Concrete Tree Restoration Paint Day
Saturday, October 11 | 1 – 4 pm | 4800 Umbria St, Philadelphia
There will be a community paint day to restore the Concrete Tree mural by Paul Santoleri along the Manayunk Towpath. The paint day will be led by artist Diana Gonzalez, who will guide participants in painting directly on the existing mural.
Paul Santoleri’s Concrete Tree is along the Towpath, just north of Fountain Street.In a space once consumed by heavy industry, Santoleri “planted” a concrete tree along a long retaining wall. The relief sculpture symbolizes the resilience of nature, while paying homage to the industrial past. Adjacent paintings and mosaics show some of the flora and fauna above and below the waters of the canal. At its core, Concrete Tree speaks to the contradiction of nature as both fragile and as an inexorable force.
Civic Views Exhibition Dedication
Tuesday, October 14 | Noon – 1 pm | Municipal Services Building | 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia
Civic Views made its temporary debut in the City Hall courtyard and will now move to the Municipal Services Building (MSB) for a long-term exhibition of five years. This event celebrates the opening reception for the installation, featuring a performance by the Municipal Employees Choral Ensemble. Civic Views is a public art project celebrating the city’s municipal employees and their diverse perspectives on Philadelphia through poetic documentation of their office windows. The project represents the culmination of two years of Emilio Martínez Poppe photographing and interviewing staff from an array of Philadelphia civic agencies to map their diverse views on a changing city.
Restorative Justice Night @ Triple Bottom Brewing
Thursday, October 16 | 6 – 9:30 pm | Triple Bottom Brewing | 915 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19123
This monthly gathering at Triple Bottom Brewing in Philadelphia is dedicated to exploring restorative justice practices and supporting individuals navigating the re-entry process, as well as those currently facing incarceration. Every third Thursday of the month, we’ll delve into topics related to healing, accountability, and transformation, featuring insightful speakers, local advocates, and individuals with firsthand experience.
Whether you’re passionate about justice reform, curious about restorative practices, or simply want to connect with others who care about creating a more inclusive society, this event is for you. Enjoy craft beers from a local, socially conscious brewery while engaging in meaningful dialogue and building connections that support genuine change.
WHYY Be My Neighbor Day
Saturday, October 25 | 10 am – 2 pm | Franklin Square Park | 200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia
As part of Voices of Philly, Mural Arts will participate in WHYY’s Be My Neighbor Day at Franklin Square! Meet local firefighters and learn about what it means to be a community helper. Ride the carousel and get a chance to see Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat! Share the community helper spirit by donating gently used books to a local book bank and learn about organizations that provide fun resources for families in Philly and the surrounding area. This event is free and open to the public. Registered guests will receive a goodie bag and a free carousel ride! WHYY will collect your gently used books when you sign in at Franklin Square.