Honoring Jane Golden and the City of Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program (MAP) for its recent receipt of the 2001 Coming Up Taller Award sponsored by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and its continued commitment to the youth of our City.

WHEREAS, The Mural Arts Program was selected as one of ten outstanding community arts and humanities programs nationwide, that provides America’s young people with creative opportunities outside the regular school day; and

WHEREAS, The programs honored by these awards are recognized because they focus on America’s most precious resource, its children, by giving young people positive outlets for their boundless energy, imagination and capacity to learn while receiving guidance, supervision and mentoring by caring adults; and

WHEREAS, The Mural Arts Program was conceived in 1984 as part of an initiative aimed at eradicating graffiti throughout Philadelphia. In 1997, MAP developed a sequenced, year round curriculum that incorporates art workshops, skills training and basic employment that keeps young people engaged in productive art and community related activities; and

WHEREAS, MAP’s art education programs, offered at 23 sites including schools, recreation centers, homeless shelters, detention centers and cultural institutions, expose young people to the historical tradition of mural art as well as to different careers that draw on the skills associated with this craft; and

WHEREAS, Over the past 17 years, MAP has created more than 2,000 murals throughout Philadelphia and has engaged more than 12,000 young people in pursuit of its mission of providing Philadelphia’s youth and communities with hope through art; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor Jane Golden and the City of Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program (MAP) for its recent receipt of the 2001 Coming Up Taller Award sponsored by the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities and its continued commitment to the youth of our City.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Jane Golden and the Mural Arts Program, further evidencing the grateful appreciation and deep admiration of this legislative body.

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