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 Philadelphians have for the promise of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?”
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, and Philadelphia is central to the story. Mural Arts Philadelphia is marking the moment with Printmaking by the People, Philadelphia’s largest public art and community engagement project inspired by this important milestone.
Over the past two years, Mural Arts organized dozens of printmaking workshops throughout the city, at which more than 1,000 participants made posters expressing their ideas for a reimagined Declaration of Independence. The workshops involved 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.
Now, you can see people’s visions in an exhibition at the Free Library’s Heim Center for Cultural and Civic Engagement, open through August 29, 2026. This summer, you will also find temporary installations of a signature poster throughout the city, and a mural is planned for later this year.
Upcoming Events
Come to our curator’s talk and tour at the Free Library on July 8, 2026, and learn how prints and posters helped mobilize counter celebrations during the 1976 Bicentennial. Stay after for a curator’s tour of the Printmaking by the People exhibition at the Parkway Central Library, Heim Center for Civic Engagement, 5:30 pm. RSVP here.
Learn more
Sharswood
The Gayborhood
Spruce Hill
Kensington
Mt. Airy
North Central
Tacony
Bella Vista
Rittenhouse
Hunting Park
Riverfront East
Passyunk
Oxford Circle
University City
Kingsessing Library, Kingsessing
Parkway Central Library, Franklintown
Independence Library, Old City
Greater Olney Library, Olney
Fox Chase Library, Fox Chase
Wynnefield Library, Overbrook
Joseph E Coleman Northwest Regional Library, Germantown
About the Artists and Project Team
Since 2024, we have hired more than 30 different printmakers, artists and other creatives to design, lead and assist in our workshops. We thank them for providing their unique expertise to teach printmaking to Philadelphians and to give people a platform for expressing their civic and creative voice in this crucial time!
Printmaking Methods Taught
Letterpress:
- Vandercook and Provisional Press
- Typesetting and Pre-set Type
Screen Printing:
- Monoprints, monoprint over collage
- Pre-burned screens, layering
- Created an image with transparencies & Sharpie
Relief:
- Indentation on a foam sheet with a pencil
- E-Z cut Linoleum
Cyanotype
Mimeograph on a Fax Machine
Stamping
Gelli Printing
