New Tacony LAB Partnership Announced

Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Tacony LAB Community Art Center is partnering with Riverfront North Partnership (RNP) to create artwork and awareness around the Delaware River waterfront, funded by the William Penn Foundation. RNP’s mission is to complete and sustain the riverfront trail and network of parks along the Delaware River that connects residents of urban neighborhoods to nature, offering unparalleled recreational, community building, and environmental education activities. Take Us to the River is an artist residency that focuses on the mission of Riverfront North Partnership and engaging the community with art.

In late 2021, Rebecca Schultz was chosen as the resident artist. This residency allows for utilizing various resources like stencil making and sewing that are a normal part of the Tacony LAB’s programming to create an outdoor installation and process that brings the community to the riverfront to interact with the environment in nature walks. Each nature walk is followed by a short art-making exercise helping to create content that will be used in the culminating installation at Lardner’s Point Park in Tacony.

The third nature walk in the series will take place on Saturday, March 5 (register here) and focuses on the water. Microscope cameras will allow the participants to see and understand the microbes that live in the Delaware River. The project installation will be unveiled on April 2 with an outdoor event at Lardner’s Point Park, including a park re-opening after recent improvements.

Additional partnership activities and projects include Fish Fest, planned for May 14 at the Frankford Boat Launch, and a series of mini-mural banners based on the riverfront environment for the area’s local schools and recreation centers.