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Founded in 1984, the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is the nation's largest public arts initiative of its kind. After 25 years of life-changing and internationally acclaimed accomplishments, the City of Philadelphia cannot imagine a world without the Mural Arts Program. Philadelphia's murals are as unique and defining to the city as the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin and cheesesteaks.
Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program (MAP) was founded in 1986, as a sub division of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network (PAGN), led by Jane Golden. Prior to the Mural Arts Program operating as its own entity its roots were founded in a meeting between Spencer and Golden in 1984 where Golden asked to run a program within PAGN. Spencer originally envisioned a program that would move kids more towards other arts and crafts, however Golden envisioned what is now the MAP program.
In 1986 another program began within PAGN, named The Mural Arts Project (MAP), and headed by artist Jane Golden. Through the success of both programs in 1991 the city of Philadelphia was awarded the Innovations in American Government Award due to the progress PAGN and MAP had made in the surrounding communities. In 1996 the success of MAP was noted and split off into a separate program and placed under the umbrella of the Philadelphia Recreation Department.
In 1996, the PAGN program was merged into the Philadelphia Recreation Department and MAP was elevated as an independent entity. From the MAP program came the Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates, a not for profit corporation for raising funds for the MAP programs. While 1996 marked a greater position for MAP it also was the year the PAGN founder, Tim Spencer, died. The roots of MAP was in a meeting with Jane Golden and Spencer in 1984 in which she asked to run a program within PAGN. Spencer originally envisioned a program that would move kids more towards other arts and crafts, however Golden envisioned what is now the MAP program.
The Mural Arts Program was founded in 1984 by Jane Golden. Golden had met the then head of the PAGN in hopes of creating a program under the umbrella project, however Spencer had originally envisioned a program that would take those caught away from graffiti and into other arts and crafts. Golden's vision won out and the Mural Arts Program was created. The Mural Arts Program works with community groups to educate and involve children in arts and in creation of murals throughout the city. The MAP also takes in prosecuted graffiti vandals at the rate of over 100 a year and involves them in the creation of many of the murals around Philadelphia. During the 2001-2004 Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, MAP had painted over 600 murals around Philadelphia.
The Mural Arts Program is responsible for the largest mural painted in Philadelphia at 600 feet (180 m) in length, titled "History of Immigration", the mural displays settlers of different races who have settled in Philadelphia over time. The average mural painted by MAP is about the height of three-story row house and 35 feet (11 m) wide, approximate cost is 10-15 thousand dollars, which includes artist commission and supplies.
MAP is currently one of Philadelphia's largest employers of artists, employing over 300 artists a year. Currently MAP employs 36 former graffiti artists as staff members on permanent payroll and services over 300 children a year in their arts programs. In February 2006 the city of Watertown, NY asked Jane Golden to speak in hopes of creating a similar program in their area. |
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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. |
