Ten years ago, Michelle Angela Ortiz hoped to be where she is today – a successful visual artist, skilled muralist and community arts educator. For more than 18 years, Ortiz has been using art as [continue reading…]
After graduating from Temple University in 2008 with a degree in music, Joe Primavera taught private guitar and piano lessons throughout Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey. Shortly thereafter, he founded Philly Music Lessons, working out of [continue reading…]
These three Muslim women are using art in order to express personal and collective identity, and explore issues of location, displacement and personal connection to social contexts in the city. You can find their art [continue reading…]
Philadelphia is a city where you can find murals and street art in many neighborhoods. From Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Gardens in South Philly to the “wicked” Philly-style graffiti seen around the city, the street art [continue reading…]
Ambrose Liu, founder and project director of the Olney Culture Lab, an initiative sponsored by CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia, has been working in the Olney neighborhood for the past seven years organizing arts and culture events for [continue reading…]
Through the power of art, even the most complex stories of immigration and assimilation can be expressed. Located on the 1200 block of Vine Street, the Asian Arts Initiative has linked art and communities since [continue reading…]
Tiffany Murphy, a native of West Philadelphia, fell in love with community organization and civic engagement during her childhood. Years later, she is now the coordinator for the Uhuru Flea Market and the upcoming One [continue reading…]
Elizabeth Taylor-Mead is a development consultant at Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youth and adults on Arab culture. Through the arts, music and language, the organization hopes to raise cross-cultural awareness [continue reading…]
While walking through Point Breeze, it isn’t difficult to spot The Pharmacy, a coffeehouse on the corner of 18th and Wharton streets. On its outside wall, a large orange head spouting the number “1300” can [continue reading…]
Known as the “City of Murals,” Philadelphia is home to almost 4,000 murals that reach into neighborhoods and aim to connect communities. No permit or license is required to paint a mural, so long as [continue reading…]
© 2025 All Rights Reserved. Philadelphia Neighborhoods: A program of the Department of Journalism at the Lew Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University.