Mural Arts Month 2025 is here!
MURAL ARTS MONTH 2025: VOICES OF PHILLY
This October, Mural Arts Philadelphia celebrates the voices that shape our city—voices rooted in experience, identity, memory, and imagination.
Stories are more than words or images. They carry history and joy. They introduce us to people we haven’t met, places we thought we knew, and ideas we didn’t expect. They are bridges, linking past to present, memory to vision, one neighbor to another.
This month, we invite you to follow those stories across walls, across blocks, across Philadelphia—and see your city anew.
MURAL ARTS FEST 2025
Saturday, September 13, 2–7 pm | Rain Date: Sunday, September 14, 2–7 pm
The Oval, 2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, PHL
Check out this blog that recaps the event!
Check out the recap post on Instagram!
PRESENTED BY TD BANK
Mural Arts Fest at The Oval this past weekend was a resounding success! Hundreds of people came out to help us kick off Mural Arts Month 2025. Thank you to all the artists, performers, vendors, and community organizations that helped make the day a vibrant celebration of the Voices of Philly! Special thanks to our Lead Sponsor, TD Bank, of Mural Arts Fest. Partners for a successful event: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Lululemon, The Oval, Parkway Council.
Thank you to our Sponsors for Mural Arts Fest
MURAL ARTS MONTH EVENTS
Special Events
Specialty Curated Panel Discussions highlighting Voices of Philly
Bridging Worlds: Voices at the Intersection of Art and Immigration
Friday, October 3 | 6–7:30 pm | Philadelphia Museum of Art, Perelman Building, 2525 Pennsylvania Avenue, Philadelphia
This special Mural Arts Month event honors the work and contributions of the work and contributions of public artists, civic leaders, and community advocates who straddle cultural landscapes both here and abroad, either as immigrants to this country or as the direct descendants of immigrants. Learn more about these artists and leaders and how they provide vessels for lived experience and representation, emblazoning previously unheard stories across the communal spaces of our city. This event is presented in partnership with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Register here.
Speakers: Njideka Akunyili Crosby, plus others TBA | Moderator: Aviva Kapust
Visionary Voices: Artists Shaping Philadelphia’s Public Art Legacy
Thursday, October 16 | 7–8:30 pm | Mural City Cellars, 1831 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia
This special Mural Arts Month event features a panel of artists, curated by Mural Arts’ Executive Director and Founder, Jane Golden, who have inspired and influenced the work of Mural Arts Philadelphia over the course of 40+ years of public artmaking. Learn more about how Mural Arts has collaborated with some of the greatest public artists in our city over four decades to make tangible impacts on neighborhoods, systems, and people, and hear what’s next for this exciting group of Philly art legends. Register here.
Speakers: Panelists TBA | Moderator: Jane Golden
Love, Tribute, Joy: Voices from the Philly LGBTQ+ Arts Scene
Thursday, October 30 | 6–7:30 pm | Broad Street Love, 315 South Broad Street, Philadelphia
This special Mural Arts Month event features a panel of Philadelphia-based LGBTQ+ artists and influencers who collaborate within their community to affirm and celebrate their stories in public spaces, bringing tributes, memories, and shared joy to our city’s walls. Plus: Hear about “LGBTQ+ Heroes,” one of Mural Arts’ major upcoming projects in 2026, in partnership with Voyeur Nightclub, Washington Square West Civic Association, and Councilmember Rue Landau’s office. Register here.
Speakers: Chris Bartlett, Rami George, Nile Livingston, Chelsey Luster | Moderator: Conrad Benner
Symposium: Researching the Impact of Murals for Philadelphians
Thursday, October 9 | 9:30 am – 12:30 pm | Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania | Jon M. Huntsman Hall, 3730 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Presented by Mural Arts Institute of Mural Arts Philadelphia and the Humanities for Human Flourishing Project, part of the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center.
Join us at the University of Pennsylvania for this inspiring event on October 9th! This event brings together cross-disciplinary researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, working in Psychology, Neuroaesthetics, and Criminology, to share new research on the impact of murals for Philadelphians. Their independent work all relate to the impact of our city’s murals on the citizens of Philadelphia including reduction in neighborhood crime, perception of their environment, and on individual feelings of wellness or belonging.
This research will be shared in a dynamic format that interweaves presentations by research experts followed by panel conversations with civic leaders and public art practitioners to illuminate new connections that exemplify how murals, and the work of Mural Arts, are integral to shaping a more connected and positive Philadelphia. Register HERE.
Key Presenters include: Anjan Chatterjee, M.D. Director, Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, University of Pennsylvania; Katherine N. Cotter, PhD, Associate Director of Research for the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project, Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania; Maya Moritz, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Criminology, University of Pennsylvania.
Mural Dedications
Films Shaped by a City Mural Dedication
Friday, October 3 | 1–3 pm | Film Society Center | 1415 Sansom Street, Philadelphia
Marian Bailey’s vibrant new mural, Films Shaped by a City, celebrates some of the key films and film-related organizations that have impacted filmmaking, film presentation, and film-related training in Philadelphia. The mural, which adorns the Sansom Street side of the Film Society Center, is the result of a multi-year project by Mural Arts Philadelphia, BlackStar Projects, and the Philadelphia Film Society, alongside an advisory panel of representatives from PhillyCAM, Scribe Video Center, Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation, Sotomayor Productions, cinéSPEAK, and others. More information about the project.
Njideka Akunyili Crosby The Beautyful Ones Mural Dedication
Saturday, October 4 | 12–4 pm | 5547 Chester Ave, Philadelphia
Join us for a massive afternoon block party, celebrating Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s new mural in the heart of the city’s Africatown neighborhood. Mural Arts and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have collaborated to bring the internationally renowned artist to Philadelphia to recreate her artwork, The Beautyful Ones Series #1c, as her first permanent public art installation.
In her methodically layered compositions, Crosby combines painted depictions of people, places, and subjects from her life with photographic transfers derived from her personal image archive, Nigerian magazines, and other mass media sources. The resulting works are visual tapestries that bring to life the personal and social dimensions of contemporary life while powerfully expressing the complexities of African diasporic identity.
This Saturday afternoon event is open to the public, with free water ice and refreshments, live African dance and drum performances, spirited DJ sets, and Henna painting, tote bag airbrushing, and other art activations.
Delaware Connections Mural Dedication
Thursday, October 16 | 11 am – 1 pm | 4725 Richmond Street, Philadelphia
This new mural celebrates and recognizes the impact and interactions of humans with the Delaware River, including the Lenape Nations, colonial and industrial times, and the Bridesburg neighborhood of today. The mural was completed over the summer by artist Meg Lemieur, with assistance from Cody Stuhltrager and Andrew Geller.
CAICU: Norris Square Senior Center Mural Dedication
Saturday, October 18 | 11 am – 1 pm | Norris Square Senior Center | 2121 N Howard St, Philadelphia
Norris Square Senior Community Center brings together nearly 100 lively seniors daily for hot lunch, conversations, game playing, crafting, dancing, worship, and access to various social services. Artists Betsy Casañas and Celso González have collaborated to create a new mural at the Center, honoring Carmen Aponte, the first Latina lawyer in Pennsylvania and the center’s namesake. Additionally, the mural showcases scenes of community activities, such as playing dominoes and dancing, as well as the center’s dance troupe, “Grupo Alegria,” which celebrates Puerto Rican culture through movement. This initiative is part of CAICU, an ongoing social art and cultural organizing series led by Philadelphia-based curator Marángeli Mejía-Rabell and artist Celso González, in Philadelphia’s Norris Square neighborhood and Loiza, Puerto Rico.
Ethiopian Cultural Center Mural Dedication
Tuesday, October 21 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | 44th & Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Mural Arts has partnered with the Ethiopian Cultural Center, located at 44th and Chestnut, to create a new mural on their facade, designed by local photographer and filmmaker Sosena Solomon. Solomon is an Ethiopian American and currently teaches at the Community College of Philadelphia. Her recent work includes a commission by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the World Monuments Fund to produce a 12-part film series that documents her journey across Africa, showcasing the continent’s rich cultural heritage. In collaboration with the Ethiopian Cultural Center’s board and with input from the community, she has developed a mural that utilizes her photographs from her travels across Ethiopia, along with references provided by the Ethiopian community in Philadelphia.
El Bloque de Oro Mural Dedication
Friday, October 24 | 10 am – 12 pm | 2700 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia
Mural Arts, in partnership with HACE, developed artistic storefront enhancements along North 5th Street’s “El Bloque de Oro,” a key commercial corridor for Philadelphia’s Latino community. Artist Henry Morales designed custom murals, signage, and other improvements for installation at three different properties. The artist engaged with two senior living facilities in the area and six different business owners along the 2700 block of N. 5th Street to gather input, which included conversations about the neighborhood’s history, personal immigration stories, and each person’s national origin. From these conversations, the artist developed designs that include the national flowers, historically significant patterns, and quotes from the business owners. Each design is a unique composition that is custom-made for each business. Together, they tell the story of countless individuals who continue to uplift and underscore the historical importance of Philadelphia’s Latino community.
Chew Playground Mural Dedication
Saturday, October 25 | 11 am – 1 pm | 19th and Ellsworth Streets, Philadelphia
This long-awaited new mural at Chew Playground in the Point Breeze community is a collaboration between colorist Calo Rosa, whose designs feature beautiful patterns and vibrant colors, and Gabe Tiberino, who has designed and painted many portraits of community members who have contributed to the center over the years.
The mural features tribute portraits of Charles Chew, Miss Dot Perrine, Karen Harris, Darryl Coates and the Sigma Sharks, Kenyatta Bey, participants in the Point Breeze Youth Development Basketball League, Council President Kenyatta Johnson, and PA Congressman Jordan A. Harris. The mural also spotlights the many children who use this recreation center and playground regularly.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Mural Dedication
Thursday, October 30 | 1–3 pm | Greene Street Friends School | 20 W. Armat Street, Philadelphia
Mural Arts and the Center for Black Digital Research will dedicate a powerful and inspiring mural honoring the life and legacy of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825–1911), poet, orator, abolitionist, suffragist, and one of the most influential Black women of the 19th century.
As part of #Harper200, a year-long bicentennial celebration marking 200 years since Harper’s birth, this special event will unveil a new public mural by Philadelphia-based artist Athena Scott, located on the exterior wall of Greene Street Friends School. This vibrant artwork pays tribute to Harper’s lifelong fight for freedom, education, and justice, and reflects the spirit of community that continues to animate her legacy.
Additional Events
Spooky Maker Market – First Friday Tacony LAB
Friday, October 3 | 6–8 pm | 6918 Torresdale Ave, Philadelphia
Tacony LAB’s First Friday in October offers a Halloween-themed celebration with various makers selling their handmade work. Attendees will also have the opportunity to make a screenprinted trick-or-treat bag with the help of Tacony LAB staff. Register here.
Paint Me a Road Out of Here Film Screening & Discussion
Wednesday, October 8 | 6–9 pm | The Fitler Club, level 2 boardroom | 24 S. 24th St, Philadelphia
Join us for a special screening of Paint Me a Road Out of Here, a feature documentary that explores the movement to end mass incarceration of Black women by means of liberating Faith Ringgold’s 1971 painting For the Women’s House from Rikers Island and the art of Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter. Paint Me a Road out of Here traces the journeys of the painting and of two artists who challenged the same oppressive institutions with their artwork, voices, and shared pursuits.
The screening will be followed by a special in-person discussion featuring artist Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter, director Catherine Gund, and Founder of Ardella’s House Tonie Willis. Dr. Kimberly McGlonn will moderate the discussion. Register for free tickets.
Chuwi Concert @ Taller Puertorriqueño
Saturday, October 11 | 7–11 pm | Taller Puertorriqueño | 2600 N 5th St, Philadelphia
Join Mural Arts, CAICU, Taller Puertorriqueño, and AfroTaino for a live musical experience with Chuwi, a genre-blending Puerto Rican band redefining the sound of the island with a bold mix of plena, indie, and Caribbean rhythms.
Hailing from Isabela, this dynamic quartet has quickly built a loyal fan base through their infectious energy, heartfelt lyrics, and magnetic live performances. With over 10 million monthly listeners and a headline-making collaboration with Bad Bunny on the track “WELTiTA,” Chuwi is not just riding the wave—they’re making it.
Concrete Tree Restoration Paint Day
Saturday, October 11 | 1–4 pm | 4800 Umbria St, Philadelphia
Join Mural Arts for a community paint day to restore Paul Santoleri’s Concrete Tree mural along the Manayunk Towpath, just north of Fountain Street. The event will be led by artist Diana Gonzalez, who will guide participants in painting directly on the existing mural.
In a space once consumed by heavy industry, Santoleri “planted” a concrete tree along a long retaining wall. The relief sculpture symbolizes the resilience of nature, while paying homage to the industrial past. Adjacent paintings and mosaics show some of the flora and fauna above and below the waters of the canal. At its core, Concrete Tree speaks to the contradiction of nature as both fragile and as an inexorable force.
Civic Views Exhibition Dedication
Tuesday, October 14 | 12–1 pm | Municipal Services Building | 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia
Civic Views made its temporary debut in the City Hall courtyard and will now move to the Municipal Services Building for a long-term exhibition of five years. This event celebrates the opening reception for the installation, featuring a performance by the Municipal Employees Choral Ensemble. Civic Views is a public art project celebrating the city’s municipal employees and their diverse perspectives on Philadelphia through poetic documentation of their office windows. The project represents the culmination of two years of Emilio Martínez Poppe photographing and interviewing staff from an array of Philadelphia civic agencies to map their diverse views on a changing city.
Restorative Justice Night @ Triple Bottom Brewing
Thursday, October 23 | 6–9:30 pm | Triple Bottom Brewing | 915 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia
This monthly gathering at Triple Bottom Brewing is dedicated to exploring restorative justice practices and supporting individuals navigating the re-entry process and those currently facing incarceration. Every third Thursday of the month, we delve into topics related to healing, accountability, and transformation, featuring insightful speakers, local advocates, and individuals with firsthand experience. Enjoy craft beers from a local, socially conscious brewery while engaging in meaningful dialogue and building connections that support genuine change.
Tacony LAB Birthday Party
Friday, October 24 | 6–8 pm | 6918 Torresdale Ave., Philadelphia
Tacony LAB Community Art Center will celebrate its eighth birthday with a party! Enjoy cake and other refreshments, along with a make-and-take activity.
Tacony LAB embodies Mural Arts’ mission to use art as a tool for social change, community engagement, and creative expression. Located on Torresdale Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia, Tacony LAB offers free art-making resources and experiences designed to bring neighborhoods together and spark imagination.
WHYY Be My Neighbor Day
Saturday, October 25 | 10 am – 2 pm | Franklin Square Park | 200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia
Mural Arts is proud to participate in WHYY’s Be My Neighbor Day at Franklin Square! Meet local firefighters, ride the carousel, and get a chance to see Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat! Share the community helper spirit by donating gently used books to a local book bank and learn about organizations that provide fun resources for families in Philly and the surrounding area. This event is free and open to the public. Registered guests will receive a goodie bag and a free carousel ride. WHYY will collect your gently used books when you sign in at Franklin Square.
Mural Arts Tours
Mural Arts will offer special walking and trolley tours throughout October, including two specialty tour weekends: Friday and Saturday, October 10 and 11, and Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19. Guests will learn about the city’s stunning collection, which makes Philadelphia the “Mural Capital of the World.” These tours provide a fantastic opportunity to explore and appreciate the city’s vibrant mural arts scene.
Specialty Tours
Voices of Philly Poetry Walking Tour
Friday, October 10, 2025 | 5–6:30 pm | Cost: $30
In celebration of Mural Arts Month, this special, first-of-its-kind walking tour brings together visual art and spoken word. Guests will explore Center City’s celebrated murals with a professionally trained guide, while five poets illustrative of Philadelphia’s spirit perform original works written in response to the murals along the route. Featured poets include Maya Angelique, Enoch the Poet, Alina Pleskova, Kirwyn Sutherland, and Joseph Earl Thomas.
In addition to learning about Mural Arts’ 40-plus-year history and the stories behind the artworks, attendees will experience how poetry adds new layers of meaning and connection to Philadelphia’s public art. This one-time event offers a unique opportunity to see and hear the city through the voices that shape it.
This tour leaves from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Hamilton Building (128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia) and ends at the same location.
Mural Mile Walking Tour with artist Marian Bailey
Saturday, October 11 | 11 am – 12:30 pm | Cost: $27 for adults and $21 for children 12 and under
Get to know Mural Arts Philadelphia’s world-renowned collection on foot along the Mural Mile, featuring a professionally trained tour guide along with talented muralist Marian Bailey, who will provide an artist’s perspective of some of the iconic murals on this route. Guests will learn about the inspiring stories behind each mural, as well as the organization’s 40-year history. The tour will include a special stop at Bailey’s new mural for the Philadelphia Film Society. Bailey is a self-taught visual artist whose work explores themes of memory, history, and identity through the use of digital and physical media.
This tour leaves from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Hamilton Building (128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia) and ends at the same location.
Masterpieces East Trolley Tour
Saturday, October 18 | 10–11:30 am | Cost: $38 for adults and $28 for children 12 and under
Explore the show-stopping murals east of Broad Street with the Masterpieces East tour, and experience an in-depth look at some of Philadelphia’s bold and brilliant public art. This route features inspiring works such as the iconic Jackie Robinson mural by artist David McShane.
This tour leaves from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), Hamilton Building (128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia) and ends at the same location.
Mural Miles Running Tour
Sunday, October 19 | 9 am | Launch location TBA
For Mural Arts Month, Mural Miles will host a special run to explore public art while on the move. Visit murals and other public art pieces while weaving your way around different neighborhoods of Philadelphia. This run is social, educational, and catered to all fitness levels. Artist artist Arden Bendler Browning will be on hand to to discuss her mural Elastic Geography. Route to be announced. Visit muralmiles.org for more information.
Exploring the Old & New: Mural Arts through the Years Walking Tour
Wednesday, October 22 | 5–7:30 PM | Cost: $30
Take a walk in Fairmount with Mural Arts Executive Director Jane Golden and Streets Dept’s Conrad Benner to see a variety of murals that showcase some of the organization’s earliest work. Additionally, guests will have the chance to explore more recent murals in Spring Arts.
This tour leaves from Jessie and Katey’s Folding the Prism mural (11th and Spring Garden Streets, Philadelphia) and concludes at Mural Arts’ main office, where there will be further discussion and light refreshments.
Additionally, Mural Arts offers standard public walking tours in Center City.
Mural Mile Center City Walking Tours
Saturday, October 4, 11, 18 & 25 – 11 am – 12:30 pm
Sunday, October 5, 12, 19 & 25 – 2–3:30 pm
Get to know Mural Arts Philadelphia’s world-renowned collection on foot along the Mural Mile. Explore the culturally rich and vibrant Center City, getting up close and personal with murals that tell intimate and inspiring stories about our city, its leaders, citizens, and remarkable public art. The Mural Mile showcases art tucked in out-of-the-way corners, as well as soaring additions to the cityscape, such as the breathtaking Untitled by Amy Sherald and Water Gives Life by Philadelphia artists Euhri Jones and David McShane.
This tour departs from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), located at 128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia. It concludes in the vicinity of 12th & Walnut Streets, so please plan accordingly.
In addition to this signature Mural Mile Center City tour, rotating neighborhood tours of South Street, Bella Vista, Spring Garden, and Center City West are offered at 2 PM on Saturdays and 11 AM on Sundays into December.
For a complete schedule or to book your unforgettable experience, visit muralarts.org/tours. Advanced tickets are required for all tours.