Tree of Knowledge mural

Philadelphia Mural Walk – Enjoy in Person or Online!

If you’re at the AALL Conference in Philadelphia this week and want to get out of the convention center and explore, taking the self-guided tour (pdf) of the Philadelphia Mural Walk through “The Mural Mile” can be a great option.

Interactive Mural Walk

Not here? This tour includes interviews available via phone or download as “podcast” mp3s – I’ve included the phone numbers with images of each artwork below so you can follow along from any location.

You can also download the audio files directly from the Mural Mile website (zip file). Combining the audio tour with the murals will help you explore not only the creativity and local history of these works, but also learn about community programs:

Community Activities

In the murals I visited Saturday I learned about a project that collaborated with everyone from inmates to school children (#1), international scholarship programs (#3), homeless individuals trying to get back on their feet (#4), a community garden (#6) , historic organizations (#8 and #9) and even animals at a local animal shelter (#14).

Individual Murals

Click on the individual images in the galleries below to view them full screen.

#1 Legacy

Call 215-525-1577 and press 1# to hear about this mural.

#2 A People’s Progression Toward Equality

Call 215-525-1577 and press 2# to hear about this mural.

#3 Tree of Knowledge

Call 215-525-1577 and press 3# to hear about this mural.

#4 Finding Home

Call 215-525-1577 and press 4# to hear about this mural.

#5 Building the City

Call 215-525-1577 and press 5# to hear about this mural.

This mural was sponsored by a local lawyer in the early 90s rather than originating from the Mural Arts Program: images of significant sculptures around the city being created reflect the goal of the sponsor to preserve the city’s legacy in the building the mural is painted on. Call 215-525-1577 and press 5# to hear about this mural.
This mural was sponsored by a local lawyer in the early 90s rather than originating from the Mural Arts Program: images of significant sculptures around the city being created reflect the goal of the sponsor to preserve the city’s legacy in the building the mural is painted on. Call 215-525-1577 and press 5# to hear about this mural.

#6 Garden of Delight

Call 215-525-1577 and press 6# to hear about this mural.

#7 Philadelphia Muses

Call 215-525-1577 and press 7# to hear about this mural.

#8 Women of Progress

Call 215-525-1577 and press 8# to hear about this mural.

#9 Pride & Progress

Call 215-525-1577 and press 9# to hear about this mural.

#10 Taste of Summer

Call 215-525-1577 and press 10# to hear about this mural.

[#11 Mural at Dirty Franks and #12 Spring not available – CALL Bulletin Editors]

#13 Theater of Life

Call 215-525-1577 and press 13# to hear about this mural.

#14 Gimme Shelter

Call 215-525-1577 and press 14# to hear about this mural.

Philadelphia is one of the most mural-rich cities in America, mostly due to the Mural Arts Program, reorganized from a graffiti prevention program in 1996 under its leader, Jane Golden. The program provides a key connection between funding and sponsors, neighborhoods, and artists, though projects come together in many different ways.

Sometimes organizations come to the program with a desire to sponsor a mural and a theme in mind. Sometimes property owners or neighborhoods come to the program with locations they’d like to brighten up.  Mural Arts Program artists work with all of these factors and more to create highly contextual works that bring a sense of pride and ownership to their local audience and others who visit them.