Created, Together.

A National Assembly for Artists Working With Communities 

Created, Together. was a national assembly for artists and creatives working with communities. It was organized by the Mural Arts Institute on October 20th-21st 2023 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania USA. This two-day event included site visits to public art projects throughout the city of Philadelphia, artist workshops, breakout conversations, a film screening, and a full day of networking between fellow creatives.

Created, Together. welcomed over 200 participants including artists, administrators, community members, policymakers, students, and writers, amplifying the voices of various contributors to art in public spaces. Through a national Call for Creatives, emerging artists and changemakers were awarded travel grants to support their access to participate in the event. They represented a diverse range of communities from across the United States and Puerto Rico.

A goal of the symposium was to open space for participants to explore critical questions in the public art field. Six guiding themes shaped the design of the breakout workshops, site visits, and discussion. Cards were distributed with the guiding questions, including blank cards for participants to contribute their own questions to a developing dialogue taking place throughout the event and beyond.

 

Created, Together. represents the Mural Arts Institutes’ ongoing commitment to create connections, develop resources, and support the field of socially engaged public art practitioners. This convening nurtured an environment for reflection and ideation, including voices from across the nation, to build a dynamic dialogue about the future of socially engaged public art. Continue to check back on this page as new resources are released, including vidoes and writings, as part of this ongoing conversation.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Created, Together. was also the culminating event of MAI’s three-year Public Art & Civic Engagement Capacity Building Initiative (PACE), a program that supported six public art projects in collaboration with APANO in Portland, Oregon, Louisville Visual Arts in Louisville, Kentucky, and Southside Community Arts Center in Chicago Illinois. Learn more about this program and watch short documentaries on the projects through our Initiatives page.

Credits 

The PACE Initiative, Call for Creatives, and the entire Created, Together. symposium are projects of the Mural Arts Institute, made possible with funding provided by the Mellon Foundation.