Printmaking by the People

About the Project  

Printmaking by the People is a citywide dialogue and public art project about how the Declaration of Independence has set the stage for life in our city and our nation today.

The project is revisiting and reimagining printing’s historic role in public communication and civic dialogue, particularly its roots in Philadelphia as a means of disseminating debates about the movement for independence.

The project will hone in on the Declaration’s promise of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” to the emerging nation. Today, we will ask people to explore where we have succeeded at that, what work remains to be done, and what their own passions and commitments are for the future — and express their ideas through posters that they design and print themselves.

Throughout 2025, Mural Arts and its partners will be facilitating artist-led workshops across the city, featuring small-group dialogue and hands-on printmaking activities. Their posters will inspire a mural that will be created in Center City Philadelphia, will be featured in an exhibition at Parkway Central Library and branch libraries, and will be uploaded into an online archive.