2026
Location /
Citywide
Status /
In Progress

Printmaking by the People

Photo by L & DaVinci Art Alliance taken during the workshop “Blueprint for our Future: Declarations of Interdependence” led by teaching artists Sofie Rose Seymour and Joy Lai.

What’s It All About?

What would the Declaration of Independence say if it could be written today?

What visions do Philadelphians have for the promise of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?”

Next year marks the 250th anniversary of the writing of the Declaration of Independence. This city-wide project will feature discussions about essential aspects of freedom, the importance of printing in communicating and mobilizing during the Revolutionary era, and the urgency of poster-making as a means of advocating for change. Participants in dozens of workshops around the city will create their own posters to express their ideas about the rights that are essential for a just, inclusive and sustainable community. The work will inspire a signature mural and an exhibition at the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Upcoming Workshop Schedule

Social Media 1776

Monday, Oct 6  | 11:15am -1:15 pm | Fox Chase Library  | 501 Rhawn St | Free

Join artist Rhonda Babb to discover how revolutionary ideas spread in the 1700’s through the power of printmaking.In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how pamphlets, engravings, and broadsides were used to broadly communicate the reasons why America was already at war with England by July of 1776. Together, we’ll examine the transformative ideas found in the Declaration of Independence and discuss how they can serve as a foundation for imagining a better America for the next 250 years.

Participants will create posters using screen printing and monoprint technique.Make one print to keep and one to donate to our archive, which will inspire a major mural in Center City next year and could be chosen for an exhibition at the Free Library in spring, 2026. This event is free and open to the public.

Ages 14+ and no prior printing experience is necessary. Space is limited. Please register on Eventbrite HERE.

Declarations in Linocut

Monday, October 20  |  4:30 – 6:30pm  |  Greater Olney Library  |  5501 North 5th Street |  Free

Join artist Jeshima DeVine from the Brandywine Workshop and Archives in printing your very own revolutionary poster! First, participants will create an image or text inspired by what liberty, freedom and the pursuit of happiness mean to them. Then they will learn how to transfer their design to a linoleum plate, carve and print it.Make one print to keep and one to donate to our archive, which will inspire a major mural in Center City next year and could be chosen for an exhibition at the Free Library in spring, 2026. This event is free and open to the public.

Ages 14+ and no prior printing experience is necessary. Carving tools are sharp and can cause injuries if not handled carefully. Space and materials for this workshop are limited so we ask that you please register. Make sure to arrive early because online registration does not guarantee admission to this workshop. Please register on Eventbrite.

 

Read about what it’s like to attend a workshop in this blog post!

Read about our project launch last year in this blog post.

 

 

Project Partners and Team
Lead Partners
  • Free Library of Philadelphia
  • PHILADELPHIA250
  • Visit Philadelphia
Partners and Advisors
  • Philadelphia Print Center
  • Philadelphia Print Consortium
  • Brandywine Workshop and Archives
  • The Soapbox Community Print Shop and Zine Library
  • Brodsky Center for Printmaking and Papermaking
  • Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Pilot Workshop Artists
  • Bill Brookover and Rhonda Viscusi-Babb
  • Chloe Epstein
  • Monika Lin
  • Lori Raggio
  • Ava Haitz
  • Belle Handler
  • Hannah Moog
  • Jack Tobin-Gross
  • Sofie Seymour
  • Joy Lai
  • Dre Grigoropol
  • Corey Bechelli
Project Managers
  • Todd Bressi
  • Lindsey Rosenberg
  • Ava Haitz
Funders
  • Connelly Foundation / Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial
  • PHILADELPHIA250
Learn more about this artwork and many others on the Public Art Archive.
Next Up: Real Life Rockys: Honoring Philadelphia’s Champions of Resilience
Next Up: Real Life Rockys: Honoring Philadelphia’s Champions of Resilience