Murals

The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is a pioneering group that started out fighting the graffiti that tarnished the city. It has since evolved into the leading publicly funded mural program. (I'm still amazed the screwed up government has managed to keep the program publicly funded!)

I'm here to speak out against those who devalue the program. I've heard many note the programs biggest downfalls. They feel the program is a sign of urban blight...traditionally the murals appear in blighted neighborhoods. You don't see too many murals hanging around Society Hill or Rittenhouse. Rightfully so, the mural appear in the areas that venture to gain the most out of them. The murals replace signs of urban decay (just b/c they mask the decay, doesn't mean they now too are a sign of decay).

The program also pounds the pavement. They teach the cities youth about the value of art and appreciation of the built environment. Working as a collaboration between artists, city youth, as well as prosecuted vandals of graffiti the program has been making huge strides to make Philadelphia beautiful.

So, today I pay homage to the great work of this program.