Potter-Thomas Eagles Playground for the Future

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program partnered with the Eagles Youth Partnership and the School District of Philadelphia for the 13th annual Eagles Playground Build. This year the event was held at the Potter-Thomas School in the Fairhill neighborhood of Philadelphia. With over 500 youth, 400 staff from the Eagles organization and Mural Arts, and the entire Philadelphia Eagles football team, the day was a huge success. Lead artists David McShane, Mary Noel Ellis Hall, and Natalie Wieters transformed the school playground, which will now be known as the Potter-Thomas Eagles Playground for the Future.

Since 1999, the Philadelphia Eagles (as the Philadelphia Eagles Youth Partnership from 1999-2015) has funded an annual Playground Build that includes the entire Philadelphia Eagles organization, including players, coaches, and staff members, with a Philadelphia school community to transform asphalt school yards into beautiful, imaginative and safe spaces for play and recreation. Mural Arts Philadelphia joined this partnership between the Eagles and the School District of Philadelphia in 2002. Mural Arts leads the development and production of the murals and mosaic tables that are part of these projects. Once a school is selected, Mural Arts leads an introductory pep rally at the school, as well as drawing workshops and after-school art programs with students to involve the school community in developing a theme for the project. Murals are then designed around the theme, often incorporating student drawings and artwork. The projects also include installations of play structures and a mini Eagles turf field in addition to the colorful murals and mosaic tables.