Jane Golden to Receive “Citizen of the Year” Lifetime Achievement Award
The accolades keep coming for Jane Golden, Mural Arts Philadelphia’s intrepid executive director and founder. After receiving the Governor’s Keystone Award this past October for her profound impact on Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, she has now been named the 2026 recipient of the Edward G. Rendell Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philadelphia Citizen.
The award comes on the heels of Golden’s announcement that she will step down from her position as executive director this summer, after more than 40 years of rigorous dedication to putting Philadelphia on the map as one of top public art destinations in the world. As Jessica Blatt Press writes in the Citizen’s announcement of this year’s winners: “After overseeing the creation of more than 4,000 murals and public works of art, and establishing the gold standard for cities worldwide […] Golden needs no re-introduction. To meet her is to be enchanted by her passion for Philadelphia.”
“It’s my deepest honor to be recognized as a ‘Citizen of the Year,’ and in such amazing company with this year’s winners,” says Golden. “I’m just as energized now by the mission and work of Mural Arts as I was over 40 years ago, back when we started as a small city program. Since then, we’ve never wavered in our commitment to bringing hope, beauty, and meaningful change to neighborhoods across Philadelphia, and to sharing the city’s rich tapestry of stories with the rest of the world. It’s an indescribable joy to do the work you love every day, and to be honored for that work by your peers and colleagues is the ultimate cherry on top. Thank you to the Philadelphia Citizen and to all who believe deeply in the power of art to ignite change.”
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Golden will be honored with the Edward G. Rendell Lifetime Achievement Award at the third annual Citizen of the Year Awards on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at the Fitler Club Ballroom. She will receive the award alongside a cadre of fellow phenomenal Philadelphians who make up the 2026 class of “Citizens of the Year.”
For the full list of 2026 winners, as well as information about event tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit the Philadelphia Citizen’s website.
