2026 Philadelphia Art Guide
Folding the Prism © 2019 Mural Arts Philadelphia / Jessie Unterhalter & Katey Truhn (Jessie & Katey), Photo by Steve Weinik via Discover PHL
Events & Workshops
2026 The Arts League Artist Convening
Critical Making: Reimagining Community Care Through Arts Education
Date(s): Friday, February 27th & Saturday, February 28th
Tickets: $42.26
Participants will connect with fellow educators and artists, exchange ideas rooted in experimentation and responsive pedagogy, and leave with new tools for building inclusive, impactful learning experiences. Whether you’re a teaching artist, educator, or arts advocate, this conference is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and invest in the future of community-based arts education.
Textiles for Remembering Artists & Curators in Conversation
Date: Sunday, March 1st, 2026
Tickets: Free
Join artists Richie Wilde Lopez and DeJeonge Reese alongside curators Lori Waselchuk and Qiaira Riley for a public conversation exploring textile practices as living archives of memory, culture, and care.
Grounded in the themes of Textiles for Remembering, the conversation will reflect on how fiber-based practices carry personal and collective histories through touch, repetition, and ritual. The artists and curators will discuss their approaches to working with textiles as sites of remembrance, resistance, and cultural transmission, drawing connections between material process, ancestry, and contemporary meaning-making.
2026 Tools of the Trade Conference
Date(s): Thursday, March 19th (online) & Friday, March 20th
Tickets: Free
Tools of the Trades is an annual hybrid conference dedicated to connecting artisans, makers, and creative entrepreneurs in Philadelphia and beyond to the business resources they actually need. We believe that creativity is the engine of our economy, but community is the fuel.
This event is a concentrated period of participatory learning designed to help craft-focused businesses accelerate growth and find success on their own terms. We don’t just teach business, we facilitate a space where expertise is disseminated across generations and where no question goes unanswered.
Major Art Exhibitions & Visual Arts
This is, was, and will be Chinatown – Chinatown History Exhibit Project 这里是、曾经是、将来也是华埠 – 华埠历史展览项目
What: This is, was, and will be Chinatown – Chinatown History Exhibit Project aims to create a temporary exhibit to celebrate the history of Philadelphia’s Chinatown, illuminate the 150-year Chinese immigrant experience, and sharing the wider stories of Asian Americans today.
When: This exhibit aims to open in April 2026.
Where: TBA
Why it matters: This is a great way to celebrate Chinatown and the cultural impact this part of Philadelphia brings to the city.
Noah Davis Retrospective — Philadelphia Art Museum
What: Landmark survey of the acclaimed Black artist Noah Davis (1983–2015), highlighting his paintings, curatorial projects, and community-centered work.
When: Jan 24–Apr 26, 2026
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Why it matters: One of 2026’s most anticipated exhibitions centering a Black artist’s visionary voice in contemporary art. This will be the last stop and the only place on the East Coast to see this exhibition.
What: A sweeping Semi quincentennial exhibition spanning from early American art to contemporary voices — including works by Indigenous, African American, immigrant, and underrepresented artists such as Rina Banerjee, Mickalene Thomas, and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith.
When: Apr 12, 2026 – Sept 5, 2027
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art & Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Why it matters: A major, city-wide cultural milestone that reframes America’s artistic legacy through diverse perspectives.
Radical Americana — Citywide Collaborative Exhibitions
What: Series of exhibitions and events across partner institutions (including The Colored Girl Museum, Asian Arts Initiative, Taller Puertorriqueño, Print Center, and more) that explore America’s creative legacy from multiple cultural viewpoints.
When: Throughout 2026 as part of America250 arts programming
Where: Venues across Philadelphia
Why it matters: Deeply rooted in community, history, and multiple artistic practices, amplifying underheard voices through site-specific shows and conversations.
Public Art & Citywide Projects
52 Weeks of Firsts: A citywide public sculpture initiative featuring weekly unveilings painted by diverse artists, with festivals and performances accompanying each reveal.
Printmaking by the People: Citywide Voices of 2026: Started in the fall of 2024, this special art project engaged the public in 50+ workshops examining the question: “What does freedom require today?” Now in its culminating year, the project reveals hundreds of prints this April in an exhibition at the Free Library of Philadelphia. In June, Mural Arts unveils a major new mural creating a “citywide portrait” of what Philadelphians think about democracy at this moment
Vámonos pa’l monte (Let’s Go to the Mountains): In October, artist Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz leads a parade of revelers and community members on a four-mile walk from City Hall to the historically Puerto Rican community of Norris Square. The vibrant public performance reflects on Puerto Rican heritage while paying tribute to the endurance of community identity.
Theatre & Performance Highlights
A citywide interdisciplinary arts festival featuring artists of color and local creators in theatre, performance, dance, music, and visual art.
Theatre & Performance Projects in ArtPhilly
The Basil Biggs Project: Written and performed by Anna Deavere Smith, exploring Civil War era history and legacies of Black experience.
Kea and the Ark: A performance and discussion piece rooted in historical protest and community storytelling.
The Becoming: An immersive performance by Shavon Norris with dialogue around womanhood and identity.
ArtPhilly runs May 27 – July 4, 2026, across multiple venues around Philly.
What: A community-centered performance project by Lynda Grace Black & Magda Martinez celebrating layered identities and belonging through shared stories and performance.
When: June 11–13, 2026
Where: Christ Church Neighborhood House
Why it matters: Celebrates diverse lived experiences through storytelling, rhythm, and communal performance.
What: A citywide theatre celebration featuring productions from local companies — offering pay-what-you-can access to innovative theatre.
When: Apr 23 – May 3, 2026
Where: Various venues
Good to know: While not exclusively focused on artists of color, Philly Theatre Week often includes works by diverse playwrights and performers from the city’s rich community theatre scene.
Festivals & Other Cultural Events
BlackStar Film Festival (August)
What: International film festival focused on films by and about Black, Brown, and Indigenous creatives.
When: Annually in August 2026 (dates typically late August).
Why it matters: One of the premiere global showcases of cinema by artists of color — often described as the “Black Sundance.”
