WHEREAS, Jane Golden has served as the driving force behind Mural Arts Philadelphia since its inception; and
WHEREAS, In 1984, Mayor Wilson Goode hired Jane to address the City’s widespread graffiti epidemic through the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network, where she worked with graffiti writers to channel their creative energy and talent toward mural collaborations, that revitalized neighborhoods long affected by disinvestment; and
WHEREAS, In 1997, under Mayor Ed Rendell, the Anti-Graffiti Network was restructured, paving the way for the formal creation of the Mural Arts Program under Jane’s leadership; and
WHEREAS, Under Jane’s leadership, Mural Arts Philadelphia has developed groundbreaking programs that have transformed practice and policies related to youth education, restorative justice, environmental issues, and behavioral health redefining how art intersects with public policy and community wellbeing; and
WHEREAS, Throughout her decades with Mural Arts Philadelphia, Jane Golden has helped build the nation’s largest public art program and build that into a globally recognized model for how art can transform public spaces and strengthen communities, resulting in the creation of more than 4,000 works of public art and remaking Philadelphia into the “Mural Capital of the World”; and
WHEREAS, Jane’s work has earned her numerous honors including Governor Shapiro’s 2025 Keystone Award, The Philadelphia Award, and The Hepburn Medal from the Katharine Houghton Hepburn Center at Bryn Mawr College; and
WHEREAS, Jane Golden has dedicated her career to beautifying the City of Philadelphia and uplifting its communities, this legislative body, along with the residents of this great City, are eternally grateful for her decades of service; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors
Jane Golden for her 42 years of visionary leadership of Mural Arts Philadelphia, during which she championed countless murals and public art initiatives that have strengthened the cultural fabric of the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Jane Golden as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End