Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates

FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES - COLOR ME BACK (CMB) IS A “SAME DAY WORK AND PAY” PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING INSECURITY, AND/OR ACUTE ECONOMIC INSECURITY. THESE INDIVIDUALS EARN WAGES WITHIN A TRAUMA-INFORMED ENVIRONMENT WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS. COLOR ME BACK PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PARTICIPANTS CONNECT TO MENTAL HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS, SERVING OVER 250 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. IN 2022, THE COLOR ME BACK PROGRAM MADE 2,291 PAYMENTS TOTALING $114,550. CMB CURRENTLY OPERATES AT TWO SITES IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA: SUBURBAN STATION, A MAJOR TRANSIT HUB IN CENTER CITY (16TH ST. & JFK BLVD., PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103) AND KENSINGTON, A SECTION OF PHILADELPHIA WHERE POVERTY RATES EXCEED 40 PERCENT AND TRAUMA IS WIDESPREAD. AT SUBURBAN STATION, 164 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN 2022. IN KENSINGTON, 116 UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN 2022. DIFFERING FROM OTHER WORKFORCE PROGRAMS IN PHILADELPHIA, CMB PARTICIPANTS ARE ACCEPTED WITHOUT CONDITIONS TO ENSURE THE LOWEST POSSIBLE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. THEY ARE SUPPORTED BY STAFF AND CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WHO CONNECT WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL, ARE AVAILABLE TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THEIR NEEDS, HELP REMOVE OBSTACLES TO LONGER-TERM EMPLOYMENT AND MAKE CONNECTIONS TO SERVICES, BENEFITS, HOUSING, AND MORE. COLOR ME BACK HAS BEEN WIDELY CELEBRATED AS THE NATION’S FIRST “SAME DAY WORK AND PAY” PROGRAM WITH A PUBLIC ART FOCUS. ITS LOW-BARRIER, TRAUMA-INFORMED MODEL IS AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION TO SUPPORTING WORKFORCE INCLUSION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY, HOUSING INSTABILITY, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

PHILADELPHIA MURAL ARTS ADVOCATES (DBA MURAL ARTS PHILADELPHIA) WILL PROVIDE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS FOR JUSTICE-CHALLENGED INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. THEY OFFER BOTH A CO-ED GUILD PROGRAM, FOUNDED IN 2008, AND THE MORE RECENT WOMENS GUILD, WHICH ADDRESSES THE UNIQUE CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES OF JUSTICE-INVOLVED WOMEN. THE GUILD IS A PAID APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE, ARTS-BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE PARTICIPANTS BUILD JOB-READINESS AND OTHER PRACTICAL SKILLS THROUGH TRAINING WITH PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTORS, ASSISTING WITH COMMUNITY PUBLIC ART AND REVITALIZATION PROJECTS, AND RECEIVING MENTORSHIP FROM EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND PEERS. THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO DATA SHOWING THAT INCARCERATION AND ITS EFFECTSMOST IMPORTANTLY, DIFFICULTY SECURING EMPLOYMENTEXACERBATE CRIME, POVERTY, AND INEQUITY. WITH THE GUILD AND THE NEWLY-CREATED WOMENS GUILD, MURAL ARTS HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT PROVIDING PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORTING JUSTICE-INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS IN FINDING AND KEEPING EMPLOYMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM AND IMPROVE HEALTH AND SAFETY IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY CRIME AND INCARCERATION.

TO SUPPORT A PROJECT THAT WILL CONVERT VACANT STOREFRONTS IN FOUR PHILADELPHIA NEIGHBORHOODS INTO HUBS FOR ARTISTIC ACTIVITY COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND CREATIVE ENTERPRISE.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS AND RELATED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS IN THE NORRIS SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD OF PHILADELPHIA.

MURAL ARTS PHILADELPHIA WILL PROMOTE A YEAR OF ACTIVITIES, AND SHARE THE US BEST PRACTICES ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL ACTIVISM THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF PUBLIC ART IN PUBLIC SPACES

MURAL AND ART COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS FOR DELINQUENT YOUTH

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT PERSONNEL FACILITIES AND SAFETY SUPPLIES EXPENSES IN RESPONSE TO AND RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

TO SUPPORT THE MURAL ARTS PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE MURAL ARTS PROGRAM (MAP).

TO SUPPORT THE MURAL ARTS PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE MURAL ARTS PROGRAMS "MONUMENT LAB " A CITYWIDE PUBLIC ART AND HISTORY EXHIBITION.

TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF TEMPORARY, SITE-SPECIFIC, LARGE-SCALE URBAN ARTWORKS ALONG A FIVE-MILE STRETCH OF AMTRAK'S NORTHEAST CORRIDOR RAIL LINE BE

TO SUPPORT A VISUAL ARTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR ARTISTS WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY INCARCERATION. 

TO SUPPORT RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION OF PHILADELPHIA'S HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY MURALS IN CONSORTIUM WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN PHILADELPH

MURAL-MAKING PROGRAM FOR DELINQUENT YOUTH FROM PHILADELPHIA

TO SUPPORT THE MURAL ARTS PROGRAM.

TO SUPPORT THE MURAL ARTS PROGRAM'S BIG PICTURE AND MURAL CORPS PROGRAMS.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT A PUBLIC ART PROJECT BY CERAMICIST ROBERTO LUGO (B. 1981). 

TO SUPPORT "A DESERT HOME COMPANION," AN IMAGINE YOUR PARKS PROJECT.

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIAS 9TH STREET MARKET.

TO SUPPORT A PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION ORGANIZED BY MURAL ARTS PHILADELPHIA USING SOUND AND LIGHT TO INTERPRET THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER.

TO SUPPORT THE "SOUTHEAST BY SOUTHEAST" PROJECT.

TO SUPPORT PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS AND A FESTIVAL AT THE RAIL PARK.