2026

Location /

Philadelphia

Status /

In Progress

Printmaking by the People

What’s It All About?

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

What visions do Philadelphian’s 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.

What’s New?

If you are an artist or printmaking organization interested in working on this project, please see “Current Opportunities” below. Please note that the deadline for artist applications is now May 1.

If you are interested in attending a free community workshop, please see “Upcoming Community Workshops” below to learn more and register. We are scheduling new workshops – free and open to the public – on an ongoing basis.

If you are an organization that would like to host an workshop in your community, please fill out this form.

Current Opportunities

DESIGN ARTIST

We are searching for an Artist to lead the mural design process. Depending on the artist’s availability, interest and skills, the artist can also be involved in the production / installation of the mural. The artist must have a strong connection to Philadelphia, and can work in any medium, including printmaking, graphic design and mural design. Teams are welcome to apply.

If you are interested in leading the mural design process, please review this background information and respond to this form.

Deadline: May 1

WORKSHOP LEADERS

We are searching for teams of artists (printmakers) or printmaking organizations to facilitate community-based workshops throughout the city over the next six to eight months. Qualified teams / organizations will be matched with community-based locations, and can also propose a workshop for their own facility.

If you are an artist team or an organization that would like to organize workshops for us, please review this background information and fill out this form.

Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis

Upcoming Workshop Schedule

Blueprint for our Future: Declarations of Interdependence

Saturday May 17 | 1pm-3pm (tentative)

DaVinci Art Alliance | 704 Catharine St | FREE

In this workshop let by teaching artists Sofie Rose Seymour and Joy Lai participants will be able to rearrange, recombine, and layer together excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, their own writing and illustrations, and personal possessions in order to interrogate, challenge, and reclaim this document and the nation it created. By having excerpts of the Declaration prepared on transparent sheets, participants will be able to cut up and rearrange words, block out or annotate the text, and add their own words, creating a new declaration from the building blocks of the old while using the cyanotype process.

All are welcome to stop by and print, no prior experience is necessary. Register for this event here: RSVP link to come.

Type Setting at The Arts Affair 2025!

Thursday May 15 | 7pm-9:30pm

Rec Philly | 901 Market Street | $45 General Admission

On May 15 our friends at Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (PVLA) will host their annual fundraising celebration, The Arts Affair 2025, at REC Philly. An evening full of live music, dance, poetry, and connection, you will get to experience performances from Philly artists including PHILADANCO’s D2, John Viscardi & Shekhinah B. and Jazz Trio, DJ Amber Lang, and more, hosted by Cookie Diorio.

Printmaking by the People is proud to participate with a type setting workshop led by teaching artist Belle Handler. Participants will choose one word to embody their vision for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” set it by hand and print it on a poster template.

No prior printing experience is necessary. Register for this event here.

Learn Linocut at the Brandywine Workshops and Archives!

Saturday May 17 | 10am-1pm

Brandywine Workshops and Archive | 730 S Broad St | FREE

This is the second workshop in a three part series with Brandywine Workshop and Archives. Led by teaching artists Caleb Perez and Marta Sanchez, participants will create their very own relief print using linoleum inspired by the voices of Philadelphians on the Declaration of Independence.

Linocut printmaking is a relief printmaking technique where a design is carved into a linoleum block, inked, then transferred to paper by applying pressure. We will work with images and text to voice our thoughts about the Declaration of Independence as Philadelphians. You will make three prints and keep one for yourself with the help of a printmaker from Brandywine Workshop and Archive. Come join the fun and bring your ideas and creativity!

No prior printing experience is necessary. Register for this event here.

Blueprint for our Future: Declarations of Interdependence

Saturday May 17 | 1pm-3pm | FREE

DaVinci Art Alliance | 704 Catharine Street

In this workshop led by teaching artists Sofie Rose Seymour and Joy Lai participants will be able to rearrange, recombine, and layer together excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, their own writing and illustrations, and personal possessions in order to interrogate, challenge, and reclaim this document and the nation it created. By having excerpts of the Declaration prepared on transparent sheets, participants will be able to cut up and rearrange words, block out or annotate the text, and add their own words, creating a new declaration from the building blocks of the old while using the cyanotype process.

All are welcome to stop by and print, no prior experience is necessary. Register HERE.

Liberty, Freedom, and Social Justice

Thursday May 22 | 6-8pm

Tacony Lab | 6918 Torresdale Ave | Free

In this workshop led by artist Lori Raggio, we will discuss the words “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” to create a dialogue of what Freedom and Social Justice mean in relation to the Declaration of Independence. We will then translate our ideas into imagery and make prints using a Gelli plate!

Learn how to Gelli print! No prior experience necessary. Please register HERE.

Silkscreens & Signatures!

Saturday May 25 | 1pm-4pm

The Arts League | 4226 Spruce St | Free

Join artists Kathryn Lien, Justin Keller and civics teacher Grace Palladino in exploring Philly’s rich printmaking history, the world’s most famous break-up letter and how to start a revolution! Then, make your own poster with a message that you think should be included in an updated Declaration of Independence! Choose from three dates in May and June for a screen-printing workshop offered in collaboration with The Arts League.

Participants will be taking a deep dive into the history of the Declaration itself, the writers and who they ripped off and some lesser known Philadelphians who brought it to the masses. Participants will also be learning how to screen print and taking home an original work inspired by the document and our fair city’s storied past.

No prior printing experience is necessary. Register for this event HERE.

Foam Relief with Monika Lin!

Wednesday May 28 | Jay Cooke Elementary | Closed to Public

Teaching artist Monika Lin will lead a foam relief printing workshop with middle school students at Jay Cooke Elementary! This workshop is organized in collaboration with Mural Art’s very own Art Ed program and is not open to the public.