Reimagine the Budget, Transform the City

The budget is more than numbers—it’s a blueprint for Philadelphia’s future.

At the People’s Budget Office, we envision a thriving city, teach Philadelphians how the City Budget works, and provide pathways to advocate for change. In order to build a city that works for all of us, we must first imagine it.

Visit our new website to learn more!

About Us

Philadelphia’s City Budget is more than just numbers—it’s a reflection of our city’s values, priorities, and future. It determines what gets funded, what gets cut, and whose needs are prioritized. Yet, the budget process can feel boring, complex, and inaccessible. The People’s Budget Office wants to change that.

Founded in 2021, the People’s Budget Office is a project of Mural Arts Philadelphia that transforms the municipal budgeting process into an inclusive, creative, and community-driven experience. Facilitated by socially engaged artist Phoebe Bachman, we use public art, education, and advocacy to empower residents to engage directly in shaping how public funds are allocated.

By making the budget process transparent, accessible, and playful, we ensure that all Philadelphians—regardless of background, age, or experience—can have a say in how their city is built and resourced.

What We Do

We provide opportunities for Philadelphian’s to learn about the city budget and share their funding priorities through programming that blends civic education with creative expression. Our work is guided by core areas of learning, imagination, and advocacy.

Learn – we host Budget 101 & 201 Workshops in neighborhoods across the city and online.

Budget 101 breaks down the basics of the budget process, making it easier to understand how city funds are distributed.
Budget 201 takes a deeper dive into key issues such as public safety, taxes, housing, education, and environmental justice.

Imagine – we’ve created The People’s Budget Office at LOVE Park

From April to June, we transform LOVE Park into an immersive installation and the site of our Artist in Residency program. The public can join artist-led workshops and contribute their priorities through participatory artworks and installations.

Advocate – We launch citywide surveys and digital tools to gather and visualize resident priorities.

We equip community members with the skills to testify at budget hearings and advocate for their needs.
We collaborate with organizations like The Alliance for a Just Philadelphia to provide advocacy training and resources.

Why It Matters

The city budget shapes our daily lives—from schools and libraries to public safety, transit, parks, and housing. Yet, many Philadelphians, particularly in historically disinvested neighborhoods, have little say in how these funds are allocated. We believe the budget should reflect the people it serves.

By breaking down barriers to participation, we are building a future where all residents—regardless of income, race, or zip code—have access to the knowledge, tools, and creative spaces to advocate for their needs.

Project partners and funders

Alliance for a Just Philadelphia, Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, Committee of Seventy, Resolve Philly, Love Park, Councilmember Kendra Brooks’ Office, Councilmember Nicholas O’Rourke Office, Councilmember Rue Landau’s Office, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s Office, Village of Arts and Humanities

The People’s Budget Office is financially supported by the William Penn Foundation and the City of Philadelphia.

About the Project Team

Phoebe Bachman, Facilitating Artist

Phoebe Bachman (she/they) is a socially engaged artist whose interdisciplinary practice bridges community-based projects, anti-oppression facilitation, and collective imagination. Their work amplifies acts of resistance, focusing on economic and criminal justice. Through mapping, collage, installation, and popular education, they transform complex systems into tangible, participatory experiences.

Bachman has led and contributed to major projects including People’s Budget Office (2021–present), a public art initiative reimagining Philadelphia’s city budget; Moon in Venus (2020–2022), a project supporting women facing financial stress in Liverpool; and End the Exception (2020–2024), a multi-disciplinary project advocating for the end of the 13th Amendment’s exception clause.

They hold a BFA from Tyler School of Art, Temple University, and an MA from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Artists in Residence:  Ro Adler, Lily Xie, Aaron Brokenbough

Ro Adler is an interdisciplinary artist who makes paintings, large-scale protest art, and site-specific ecological art. Their work is about communities telling their stories and about the relationships between people and land. Ro’s work lives in the gardens, classrooms, telephone poles, and streets of Philadelphia.

Aaron Brokenbough is a filmmaker, writer, and producer dedicated to using storytelling as a tool to connect and amplify diverse voices. With over a decade of experience across commercial, documentary, and narrative projects, Aaron specializes in exploring untold stories and championing underrepresented communities.

His portfolio includes the short narrative Trading Stories (in development), the feature documentary Born/Raised (in pre-production), and award-winning films like Is My Living in Vain. Aaron’s projects also include stories centered on marginalized voices, such as Don’t Cry For Me All You Drag Queens and An Endoscopy.

With a background in journalism and content creation, Aaron brings a collaborative, innovative approach to every production. His work reflects a commitment to authenticity and the belief that storytelling can bridge cultures and perspectives, creating meaningful connections and shared understanding.

Lily Xie (she/they) is a Chinese-American visual artist and animator whose socially-engaged work explores desire, memory, and self-actualization for frontline communities. She uses her background as an artist and urban planner to facilitate creative projects with a focus on public space, housing, and racial justice. The magic they create together often takes shape in animation, print media, and video. Lily lives and works in Philadelphia, PA.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE PEOPLE’S BUDGET OFFICE WEBSITE.