Latest news with #CreativePhiladelphia
CBS News
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Philadelphia artists with disabilities shine in City Hall exhibits with their work on display
Artists with disabilities are stepping into the spotlight this month, with their work on display in two exhibits at City Hall. One exhibit, Philadelphia Cultures and Connections , showcases art created by adults with developmental disabilities who are participants of SpArc Services' Cultural Arts Center . This artwork is located on the third and fifth floors of City Hall. The other exhibit – Neuroinclusion & Neurodiversity Under ONE Roof - The People's Roof! – features art on the second and fourth floors by adults with autism who participate in the Autistic Art Coalition of Philadelphia. Both exhibits, put on by Creative Philadelphia , are on display for the public to view, for free, through April 25. Cherie Harris, 41, is a SpArc participant and one of 30 artists featured in Philadelphia Cultures and Connections . On the fifth floor of City Hall, you can find her art — a floral collage — entitled "The Little Red Robin." Wednesday, in an art class at SpArc, she created even more artwork, painting a purple Easter basket at the nonprofit's campus in North Philadelphia. "This is my best artwork that I ever did," Harris said. Each week, SpArc's participants engage in different creative activities that help foster their artistic expression. On Thursday, the assignment was to paint Easter baskets. But for Stephan Price-Wright, it was cartoons that sparked his imagination. "I do cartoons because I want to be an animator," Price-Wright said. Ashley Townsend chose to paint while wearing a pink crown, saying both the crown and the activity simply make her feel "happy." Harris, too, finds joy in her paintings and says each stroke carries emotion and meaning. "This is a purple Easter egg — meaning that it is showing the signs of true love," she said. Philadelphia Culture and Connections, which features works by Harris, Price-Wright, and Townsend, is curated by Tu Huynh of Creative Philadelphia. Huyhn comes from a fine art background, and said he appreciates the authenticity of this artwork. "It's really empowering to see [these paintings]," Huynh said. "There are people who would have to unlearn a lot of things they've learned about art to do something like this." He hopes that visitors can connect with community members who offer different perspectives. "I hope that they can see and they can celebrate who we are as Philadelphians," he said. Harris recently visited City Hall to see her work displayed in the historic building. "It doesn't matter if you have a disability or not," she said. "You are still an artist and you still have creativity." This is Harris' first time exhibiting her art, but she already has her eyes on the next goal — selling a piece for $50. What would she do with the money? "Let me be honest with you," she said. "Fast food. Wendy's Five for Five." A well-earned reward, no doubt — and maybe the inspiration behind her next masterpiece.
CBS News
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
City celebrates inaugural Philly Jazz Month with month-long programming
From the soul-stirring sound of John Coltrane , who honed his craft while living in Philadelphia, to Dizzy Gillespie 's revolutionary bebop during his early career in the city, to Grover Washington Jr.'s sax mastery that defined the jazz-funk sound, the city's legacy as a powerhouse of jazz innovation is undeniable. Now, that rich heritage is officially being celebrated all month long. On Wednesday, April 2, city officials read a proclamation officially declaring April Philly Jazz Month in a ceremony at City Hall. Throughout April, programming will be supported by funding from Creative Philadelphia and Mid Atlantic Arts , with over $30,000 awarded to roughly 30 engagements across the city. Ernest Stuart, a jazz trombonist and program director at Mid Atlantic Arts, has been instrumental in organizing Philly Jazz Month. Stuart, who grew up in Pennsauken, New Jersey, and participated in Philadelphia jazz camps as a high schooler, sees the initiative as a long-held vision finally coming to life. "Wednesday's event solidified a dream of mine that had been realized," Stuart said. "It's visibility. It signals to people who visit the city that we are a music city — we are a jazz city. We care about our arts and culture." One of the newly funded programs this year is the inaugural East Passyunk Ave Jazz Crawl , hosted by Rittenhop , a swing dance and Lindy Hop organization that began as a group of friends dancing together in Rittenhouse Square. Executive Director Christian Muniz and his fiancée, Ashley Stewart, organized the Jazz Crawl, which will span 13 local businesses on East Passyunk Avenue on Sunday, April 14, from 12 to 4:30 p.m. and feature 15 local bands and over 40 musicians. "The Jazz Crawl is sharing our love of jazz with the neighborhood that we're in," Muniz said. Muniz hopes the event makes the art form more accessible to people who may not consider jazz their music of choice. "I'm hoping that people can see jazz in a new light," Muniz said. "There are probably some people out there who have preconceived notions — 'I don't like jazz because it's just noise.' But they don't understand that this music was essentially pop music in the '20s, '30s, and '40s. I think sometimes people forget that." For Muniz, the goal is not only music, but community. "So they can see that jazz is something that's community-based…community-focused. It's really about building the communities that we have together," he said. Stuart agrees that jazz is a part of Philadelphia's community fabric. "Cheesesteaks are great. Water ice is great. But we also care about our incredible, incredible lineage of culture. In this particular case, music," he said. "Philadelphia gave birth to musicians that were the architects of the music. These effects are felt and should be felt across Philadelphia."
