In the beastly hot days this month, we’ve sought some respite in travel: Roberta went to New York for a few days, others went to the beach or mountains. We’ve all been busy and busy reading. Here’s a quick look at upcoming content on Artblog, plus an event to give your two cents to the City on what they should do with the Roundhouse (former Police HQ), and a long read in the New Yorker by Alice Gregory about her trip to Africa and the work of a groundbreaking art collective, the Congolese Plantation Workers Art League.
Read MoreWe are very sad to report the passing of the great artist, Leroy Johnson, who was a mentor to many young artists in Philadelphia, in addition to being a maker of truth-seeking and truth-telling installations, sculpture and paintings.
Read MoreIt’s a time of high anxiety and we now have a new topic of worry — the City’s commissioning of a southern, white, male sculptor, for a permanent Harriet Tubman sculpture to be sited at City Hall. Meanwhile, across town, quietly, a somber monument to rethinking monuments, by Theaster Gates, appears at Drexel. And we hope you go to the book sale and party at the Icebox Project Space, brought to you by Ulises, FORTUNE and other book makers. Also, two top picks for reading and watching — Matthew Rose’s magazine, “Trouble,” debuts its summer issue; and Art 21 presents a charming, 9-minute video of the late Margaret Kilgallen at work, making art featuring her woman heroes.
Read MoreIt’s summer! But there’s still news, even in the art world. A new foundation, The Ruth Foundation for the Arts (Ruth Arts), today awarded $1.25 to 78 nonprofit arts organizations nominated for the grants. We congratulate the 5 local groups chosen for the new grants: Ballet X, Blackstar Projects, Taller Puertorriqueño, Twelve Gates and The Clay Studio. In other news, two videos we recommend for this hot weekend, and a call from the city for citizen participation in shaping the choice for the new public art Harriet Tubman statue.
Read MoreIn this news post, we congratulate the Village of Arts and Humanities on their 6 new women hires; talk of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund’s budget being restored; and tell you about two great Percent for Art opportunities and about Augustus Jackson, the inventor of Philadelphia style ice cream.
Read MoreToday’s news brings you a more comprehensive (although still not complete!) list of the contents for our Atlas of Art and Food in Philadelphia.
Read MoreHave you applied yet? The Velocity Fund grant applications for 2022 are due on June 6, 2022. Applications opened at the end of March, and if you haven’t already, apply today for these direct artist grants of up to $5,000 for experimental projects that foster and encourage collaboration between art genres.
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