News

Coming soon! The Association for Public Art in partnership with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania has engaged artist Xenobia Bailey to create a singular emblematic image, The Radical Black Elite, that will be displayed on street pole banners on Locust Street outside of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Marking Bailey’s first public art installation in Philadelphia, these commemorative banners will be on view throughout spring and fall 2024.

News

Remembering Emanuel Kelly

Posted: January 16, 2024

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Emanuel Kelly FAIA, longtime Board member of the Association for Public Art (aPA) and co-founder of Kelly/Maiello, Inc. architectural and planning firm in Philadelphia. Recognized as a leader in the space of architecture and design, Kelly contributed his expertise and passion for public art as a member of aPA’s Board for over 20 years.

News

(Re)FOCUS on Women in Public Art

Posted: January 12, 2024

This self-guided tour highlights notable examples of public art in Philadelphia by women artists, emphasizing the contributions women have made and will make to the public art field as a whole. This exploration is part of (re)FOCUS, a citywide exhibition in 2024 that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the original FOCUS festival (Philadelphia Focuses on Women in the Visual Arts/1974) at Moore College of Art and Design.

In partnership with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to mark its 200th anniversary in 2024, the Association for Public Art presents a special exhibition highlighting the historic accomplishments and recent contributions of women who have worked in the public art field as artists, benefactors, and leaders. On view January 30 – March 15, 2024.

The aPA will bring to life this summer the historic Ellen Phillips Samuel Memorial along Kelly Drive and the Schuylkill River with a temporary exhibition (June 12 – November 12, 2023) by artist Maren Hassinger. Part of an ongoing effort to reimagine the site Hassinger’s evocative sculptures offer restorative and inspiring messages of shared and active humanity. This will be the first contemporary public art exhibition at the memorial and the artist’s first outdoor sculpture exhibition in Philadelphia. There will be an opening reception on June 14th at the memorial.

Explore our current events and programs for the 2023-2024 season. We will be updating this page as we add more to the calendar!

The Association for Public Art is seeking Art Ambassadors to assist with aPA’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 14th on Kelly Drive, which will celebrate the opening of Maren Hassinger’s “Steel Bodies” outdoor sculpture exhibition. We are looking for high-energy, responsible individuals with strong communication skills and experience in hospitality or customer service.

The Association for Public Art remembers longtime trustee Philip Price, Jr., who passed away in February at the age of 88. Price joined the Board in 1991, and generously supported a number of our projects as well as other nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia. He funded the restoration and recasting of the “Billy” goat sculpture in Rittenhouse Square, which his grandfather, Eli Kirk Price II, gifted to the City of Philadelphia through this Association.