Be A Friend To Me

Be A Friend To Me by artist Calo Rosa is located in the South Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The mural honors the artistic and creative lives of Joseph and Frankie Tartaglia and family, and is a tribute to the emblematic space they created on 9th street where people gathered to enjoy music and art. This mural is inspired by glimpses into the young creatives’ scrapbooks and diaries, and hopes to capture their vibrant spirit via stories shared by their parents Connie and Joe. We honor their lives and legacy, nodding to the future generation with a portrait of Connie’s great-granddaughter.

Part of Our Market a community-centered, multi-layered, multi-year public art project created and led by artist Michelle Angela Ortiz. The project was developed in April 2019. Our Market is focused on supporting the im(migrant) vendors, business owners, and neighbors that work and reside in the 9th Street Market, the artist’s home for 40+ years. The Project invests in the 9th Street Market by offering creative community strategies to tackle the issues of gentrification, racism, displacement, and erasure.

The Our Market Project is supported with lead funding from the William Penn Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Mural Arts Program. Additional support is provided by the Hearthland Foundation, the Leeway Foundation in partnership with the Bella Vista Neighborhood Association and Philadelphia250 and Visit Philadelphia. Past support has been provided by the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Catalyst for Change Grant , Art is Essential Grant, and the Southwest Folklife Alliance.