Last week, Philadelphia City Council passed a resolution that changed the city’s moniker from “The City of Brotherly Love” to “The City of Sisterly Love” for 2020 to honor the centennial of women’s voting rights in the U.S. This week, to help spread that message of love and welcome, VISIT PHILADELPHIA put Philadelphia- and Los Angeles-based mixed media and street artist Amberella to work in New York City and Philadelphia. The West Chester, Pennsylvania native and University of the Arts graduate will adorn select neighborhoods with her popular graphic hearts that express emotional, powerful and equivocal messages. The public artwork will invite viewers to visit “The City of Sisterly Love.”
Amberella’s messages — “LET’S ESCAPE,” “PHILLY GOT HEART,” “COME THRU AS YOU” and “PHILLY IS SISTERLY LOVE” — will appear for one to four weeks, including on Valentine’s Day, in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Locations include:
- West 30th Street between 5th Avenue and Broadway in Chelsea, Manhattan
- 1140 Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
- 379 Jefferson Street in Bushwick, Brooklyn
The hearts will also be recreated as posters and phone booth advertisements throughout New York City in February. In addition, the hearts will appear in Philadelphia at Cherry Street Pier and Love City Brewing.
Amberella finishes a heart on the edge of Cherry Street Pier, a project of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation.
The street art activation is a follow-up to “The City of Sisterly Love” billboard that VISIT PHILADELPHIA activated in Times Square on Tuesday, January 28. Additional marketing initiatives around the campaign will roll out later this year.
“Philly is my number one,” said Amberella, “My hearts have become a Philly thing that I take all over the country.” A longtime champion of women’s voices and causes, the artist said the City of Sisterly Love has special meaning. “I’ve always felt that sense of sisterhood in Philadelphia. You can walk down the street and feel like every woman is your sister. When women learn about this citywide initiative, they’re really going to feel it.”
VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy.
On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.
