Mural Arts Philadelphia is the largest public art program of its kind. For over 30 years, Mural Arts has united artists and communities through a collaborative and equitable process, creating nearly 4,000 artworks that have transformed public spaces. Mural Arts empowers people and stimulates dialogue with programs that focus on youth education, restorative justice, mental health, and wellness. Mural Arts builds bridges to understanding with projects that attract artists from Philadelphia and around the world to create and preserve public art.
Mural Arts’ Art Education department partners with schools, recreation centers, and other community sites to provide no-cost art classes to over 2,000 youth annually. A team of six administrative staff and sixteen teaching artists offer year-round programming to Philadelphia students aged 10-21. The department facilitates seven core programs that prioritize creative expression, center student voice, and showcase the arts as a pathway to academic, professional, and personal fulfillment.
Mural Arts has recently been selected to receive a grant dedicated to violence intervention and prevention (VIP) from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PDDC). In a collaboration between MAP’s Restorative Justice and Art Education departments, as well as the Rec Crew, the organization is hiring recently incarcerated people to revitalize 20 recreation centers in high-violence areas. Six of these rec centers will be activated with after-school youth programs under the supervision of the Art Education department. Two rec center activations will take place within the duration of the Fels capstone program. Incarcerated adults and youth will contribute to this holistic, intergenerational VIP initiative.
Art Education has now begun initial steps to roll out new after-school programming at six rec centers in high-violence areas. This department will also be expanding upon its partnership with the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center (PJJSC), engaging incarcerated youth in mural projects to be installed at recreation centers around Philadelphia over the next two years. A driving factor for this programming is to offer youth alternative pathways from engaging in violence earlier in their lives. The project will consist of creating a rubric that the Art Education team can use to evaluate this pilot program’s success upon completion of its first year.
1. A rubric or tool for evaluation of Mural Arts Education’s implementation of new programming at two of six recreation centers and expanded programming at PJJSC
2. Design, implementation, and analysis of feedback surveys provided to youth (when possible) and rec center leaders/supervisors
The program evaluation tool could measure success in terms of the program’s ability to reduce violence amongst youth through: enhancements to the physical environment, opportunities for youth, and peer relationships that reinforce anti-violence norms. Visits to programming sites would be a welcome component of this evaluation if the fellow is able to do so.
Based on a 5 hour/week schedule.
January 2024, Information Gathering/Orientation: Onboard fellow and provide orientation regarding Art Education’s mission, programming, structure, etc. Orient fellow with key information and updates regarding the PCCD grant and current stage of implementation.
February 2024, Field Visits/Further On-Site Information Gathering: Conduct site visits and interviews with key participants: teaching artists, recreation site leaders, Rec Crew members, etc.
March 2024-June 2024, Evaluation: Design program evaluation rubric based on key violence-reduction metrics. Design feedback surveys to be shared with program participants. Existing evaluation surveys used by the Art Education department may be adapted and enhanced by the fellow to suit this particular initiative.
June 2024, Surveys: Send out feedback surveys and collect data gleaned from the results.
July 2024: Present program evaluation rubric and recommendations for future iterations. Share results of feedback surveys.
