Mural Arts and the Mann Center for the Performing Arts Announce Exciting Three-Year Partnership

At Mural Arts, we believe that collaboration is one of the most effective ways to achieve our mission to create participatory public art that beautifies, inspires, and empowers.  That’s why we are thrilled to announce to a groundbreaking three-year partnership with the Mann Center for the Performing Arts (“the Mann”) to create dynamic, community-driven projects that celebrate art, culture, and community as we approach two significant milestones: the 250th anniversary of the United States and the Mann’s 50th anniversary at its current location in Fairmount Park.

The partnership, running from 2025 through 2027, will bring together Mural Arts’ renowned expertise in public art and the Mann’s legacy as a cultural and artistic hub in Philadelphia. Together, the organizations will collaborate on three major initiatives designed to inspire, engage, and empower the local community, with a special focus on West Philadelphia and Parkside.

Highlights of the Partnership 

• Voices of Hope Activations (2025–2027):
  As part of the Mann’s annual Voices of Hope: An Event in Celebration of Black Excellence, scheduled for June 9, 2025, at 6 pm, Mural Arts will curate live painting activations by artists from its Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists program. These activations will highlight Philadelphia’s cultural unity and showcase the incredible contributions of Black artists in shaping our community. Voices of Hope is free to attend, but registration is required.
• Fence Line Mural Installation (2026): 
  In celebration of the Mann’s 50th anniversary, Mural Arts will curate a stunning mural installation along the Mann’s Highmark Skyline Stage fence line, created by West Parkside artists. The ten-panel mural will remain in place through 2030, telling the story of the Mann’s legacy and beautifying its 22-acre campus.
• Collaborative Visual Summer Camp (2027): 
  Mural Arts’ Art Education department will partner with the Mann to offer a unique, cross-disciplinary summer camp for students from Philadelphia’s school district and charter schools. Participants will explore visual arts, gain behind-the-scenes insights into the Mann’s operations, and collaborate on hands-on projects that inspire creativity and curiosity.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the Mann on this exciting three-year collaboration,” said Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts. “This partnership embodies our shared commitment to community engagement, creative expression, and celebrating Philadelphia’s rich cultural heritage.”

“The Mann has a long history of residencies with Philadelphia’s premier performing arts companies. Extending that legacy to the visual arts with Mural Arts Philadelphia is a remarkable opportunity for our organization, for the artists and audiences who enjoy our campus each season, and for our greater Parkside community. Public art is a treasure, and we are thrilled that the Mann will be home to the creative works of Mural Arts’ artists,” said Catherine M. Cahill, Mann president and CEO.

Keep an eye out for updates as this program gets underway!