Mural Arts Philadelphia Kicks Off Fall Season With New Events

In Philadelphia, every wall is a potential blank canvas, and stunning murals adorn building exteriors all over the city. Begun in 1984 to help eradicate graffiti, the Mural Arts Program enables professional artists and young Philadelphians to showcase their artistic talent in a constructive way. To date, the program has produced more than 4,000 murals, including this one, "South Philly Musicians," at the corner of 8th and Tasker Streets in South Philadelphia.

Photo by A. Ricketts for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

Mural Arts Philadelphia has announced the launch of several fall season activities that celebrate arts and culture in Philadelphia.

Tacony LAB First Friday

Mural Arts will celebrate a new banner series dedication on Friday, Sept. 5, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Tacony LAB Community Art Center. Titled Interconnectedness of Community, the banner celebrates the name and features Tacony LAB resident artist Ayiana Viviana with a new public artwork collection in collaboration with community members.

According to Metro Philadelphia, "Each unique banner features bold, colorful patterns, accompanied by community-nurturing phrases translated into the various languages spoken in the neighborhood."

Mural Arts Fest 2025

A free event featuring art and music is scheduled at The Oval on Saturday, Sept. 13. Hands-on activities for guests will include art-making workshops and kids' activities, live painting, a Black artist gallery, an artist market, and community pop-ups from partners across Philadelphia.

Those who attend can witness live performances from Interna$hional Bounce, Plantain Party, Tameartz, ThursdayNightGroove, and others. A food and a beer garden will be provided by Libertee Grounds. This event will also include a preview of October's Mural Arts Month 2025, which will commemorate the Voices of Philly.

Mural Arts Dedications

Several dedications are on tap for this month:

Friday, Sept. 19: Internationally acclaimed street artist Shepard Fairey will unveil a new mural in Philadelphia. Fairey is most known for the “Hope” poster, which became linked with former President Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.
Wednesday, Sept. 24: Mural Arts will dedicate Embracing the Light by artist James Burns at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, 160 E. Erie Ave. This project was developed in collaboration with patients, families, and community members to raise awareness about suicide prevention and access to mental health resources.
Friday, Sept. 26: Mural Arts, in partnership with the Philadelphia Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, will dedicate Lay-lah, Lay-lah by Ella Ponizovsky Bergelson. The event, which requires advance registration, will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza (Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 16th and 17th streets). Metro Philadelphia noted that it will be the nation's first large-scale public mural dedicated to Holocaust memory in a civic space.