Mural Arts Philadelphia on The Kelly Clarkson Show

Mural Arts Philadelphia on The Kelly Clarkson Show

Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Founder and Executive Director Jane Golden joined singer, songwriter, actress, author, and television personality Kelly Clarkson as a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show! Joined by actors Lily Collins and Josie Totah, Jane and Mural Arts program participant Norman Bonk had the opportunity to chat with Kelly about Mural Arts’ far-reaching work and innovative programs, such as the Color Me Back: Same Day Work and Pay Program that positions art as a catalyst for social change.

As Jane explained to Clarkson, Color Me Back combines participatory art-making and access to social services in a unique model offering individuals who are experiencing economic insecurity an opportunity to earn wages. Designed in partnership with the Scattergood Foundation, SEPTA, the Sheller Family Foundation, and Mental Health Partnerships, the initiative is managed by Mural Arts’ Porch Light community wellness program, a collaboration with the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services.

Participants, like Bonk, are recruited through outreach and have the opportunity to connect, contribute, and engage with outreach specialists who can link them with support services, including social and behavioral health services and potential opportunities for longer-term employment while working in the program. Since spring of 2019, Color Me Back has helped more than 1,000 people, including Bonk, who is now employed by Mural Arts to give tours of the same subway he used to sleep in while homeless.

“We can be aspirational but highly pragmatic at the same time, and that’s the beauty of art,” said Golden. “When it comes to our country’s intractable problems, we can never discount the role of innovation and creativity to crack the code cause our traditional ways of working will fail us.”

During the show, Clarkson surprised Mural Arts with a $20,000 donation sponsored by Skillshare, “an online learning community for curious people with thousands of classes taught by industry experts.”

Watch the heartwarming segment below!