Philadelphia Mural Arts Program
Dates/Times vary by tour
This season, the Mural Arts Program is offering monthly specialty trolley tours with themes that will change each month. Additionally, there will be tours offered to celebrate national holidays, such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and more. Patrons will have two opportunities each month to participate in Mural Arts trolley tours that will visit murals in neighborhoods that are less frequented on the tours given by the Mural Arts Program.
The Mural Arts program is also collaborating with the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services on a project named the Porch Light Initiative. For about three years, these two noble programs have worked with one another to spread a message of safety, healing and wellness throughout Philadelphia communities. Along with 15 murals that are in the process of being created for this project, another mural is going to be installed on Lehigh Avenue. Other murals that will decorate the city sometime this year include a Phillies mural, a veteran’s memorial mural, a matriarchal themed mural, a new love letter series and a ShopRite mural.
Tjai Abdullah, a muralist and tour guide with the Mural Arts Program, explained that after a recent minor rise in graffiti activity involving the murals, the program decided to find a creative solution to the problem. The Murals Arts Program reflected and decided to refocus on helping the community voice its views through direct interaction with the community. With the help of Philadelphia-born graffiti artist Darryl McCray, who goes by the name Cornbread, the Mural Arts Program has plans to incorporate more local artists into the creation of the murals.
With the help of this renowned artist, the Mural Arts Program plans to handle this familiar issue in the community by redirecting the work of local graffiti artists—instead of defacing the murals, they are going to collaborate with the Mural Arts Program to create more murals.
The new tours and projects of the Mural Arts Program provide a lot of exciting things for the involved artists and residents alike to look forward to this year.
Cinedelphia Film Festival
Through April 27 / Various Locations
Cost varies
Philadelphia’s film scene has more to offer than just “Rocky.”
At the first annual Cinedelphia Film Festival, currently going on now, 40 films are being screened throughout the city. Every piece showcased has a Philadelphia tie.
On Saturday, April 20, the Urban Archives will be hosting a free event at 6 p.m. The event will showcase short films that were all recorded in Philadelphia.
Philly Tech Week Opening Ceremony
April 19 / 8 P.M. – 11 p.m. / Cira Center, University City
Free
Ever wanted to play pong on the side of a skyscraper? Philly Tech Week is being kicked off by a few rounds of the classic video game being displayed on the side of the Cira Center in University City. Philadelphians had the opportunity to enter in a few lottery to pick who gets to hold the mighty controller. Philly Tech Week events will continue through April 27.
Open Mic
Every Tuesday / 9 p.m.
Time Restaurant / 1315 Sansom St.
Every Tuesday night, Time Restaurant hosts an open mic featuring local band The Living Sample. New performers are welcome, and if you would rather be a voyeur than a star, enjoy the local music with Time’s extensive wine bar and draft beer list.
-Jenelle Janci and Jameeda Rucker
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