Congratulating the Mural Arts Program in the Occasion of its 20th Anniversary.

WHEREAS, In 1984, the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network was founded by Mayor W. Wilson Goode as part of a City-wide anti-graffiti initiative; and

WHEREAS, The Anti-Graffiti Network engaged graffiti vandals in painting murals to enhance their community, and this unconventional strategy provided many of these young people with an opportunity to use art as a means of avoiding the dangerous path of vandalism, drugs and crime; and

WHEREAS, In 1985, with the involvement of 100 young people, the first mural --

Life in the City

-- was completed; it is painted on both sides of the Spring Garden Street Bridge, spans 636 feet, and links West Philadelphia to Center City; and

WHEREAS, In 1992, the Anti-Graffiti Network won the prestigious "Innovations in American Government" award from the Ford Foundation; and

WHEREAS, In 1996, Mayor Ed Rendell restructured the Anti-Graffiti Network and designated the Mural arts Program as a distinct city program, and established the Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates to help advise and support the program; and

WHEREAS, In 1998, amidst racial strife in Grays Ferry, the

Peace Wall

went up and despite extreme skepticism the mural brought together divided residents and gradually became a symbol of unity; and

WHEREAS, The Mural Arts Program now works with over 100 communities each year to create murals that serve the unique needs of each neighborhood by stabilizing abandoned lots, revitalizing open spaces and inspiring civic pride; and

WHEREAS, More than 1,000 young people participate in art education programs through ARTscape and the Mural Corps; and

WHEREAS, Since 1984, over 2,400 murals have been created transforming Philadelphia into the nation's "City of Murals" and a leading model in neighborhood revitalization through public art; and

WHEREAS, From

Life in the City, Tribute to Dr. J., Boy with Raised Arm, Peace Wall,

to the eight-story

Common Threads

, each mural tells a story; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby congratulate the Mural Arts Program on the occasion of its 20th Anniversary.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Jane Golden as a symbol of this legislative body's sincere appreciation for the permanent and visible achievements of the many artists, volunteers, community leaders and dedicated staff of the Mural Arts Program.

End