Uwishunu Event Last updated on January 23, 2025

ArtPhilly: What Now

Name: ArtPhilly: What Now
Start: 2026-05-29
End: 2026-07-04
Location: Philadelphia City Hall

May 29 - July 4, 2026

Arts and culture take center stage during this major multidisciplinary festival in 2026 ...

Photo courtesy of ArtPhilly

Overview

Before there were Founding Fathers or declarations of independence, Philadelphia was, well, Philadelphia: a city that inspires passionate innovation, from government to science to art.

History was made and literal revolutions took root here. With the nation’s Semiquincentennial anniversary sweeping the country in 2026, what better moment to look back at the last two-and-a-half centuries of American life and ask, “What now?”

Enter: ArtPhilly. This multidisciplinary arts and culture festival makes all of Philadelphia a stage, shining the spotlight on the city’s creative community with an impressive slate of thought-provoking performances, exhibitions and other artistic programming.

The theme for the inaugural festival — What Now — challenges artists, local cultural institutions and audiences from around the globe to blend art and history to imagine what the future holds.

The 2026 ArtPhilly festival takes place May 29 through July 4, 2026 in venues across Philadelphia.

Location & Contact:

ArtPhilly

Various locations in Philadelphia

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What to Expect

ArtPhilly is a movement connecting Philadelphia’s acclaimed arts and culture community through ongoing artistic programming, commissions of original work and — the main event — a major recurring citywide art festival featuring over 30 performances, exhibitions and projects.

The whole of Philadelphia’s arts community comes together to produce the multidisciplinary festival, including premier institutions like the Philadelphia Art Museum and Mural Arts; community-based organizations, like Theatre in the X and Asian Arts Initiative; and seasoned artists and curators, like curatorial director Tania Isaac, producer and performer King Britt, and the director of Philadelphia Dance Projects Terry Fox.

Taking place at iconic Philly museums, landmarks and venues, the jam-packed slate of programming reflects the vibrancy and diversity of Philly’s cultural scene with musical concerts, theatrical shows, dance performances, visual art exhibits and new museum experiences.

Inspired by the nation’s milestone 250th anniversary, the theme, What Now, encourages artists and audiences to harness the revolutionary spirit of America’s Founding Fathers and envision a bold future for our country.

Featured projects include:

Black Music City Music Residency at the Museum of the American Revolution: A collaboration between the Museum of the American Revolution and Black Music City, this music residency showcases talented Philadelphia-based Black artists and culminates in performances of original compositions at museums and venues in Historic Philadelphia.
From Our Forefathers: Climate Crisis through Museum Tours: Artist, curator and public historian Aislinn Pentecost-Farren takes tour-goers through Philadelphia’s legendary museum collections, exploring the history of the climate crisis through their art and artifacts.
A collaboration between Anna Deavere Smith and First Person Arts: Lauded playwright and actor Anna Deavere Smith digs into her family’s Civil War-era history in Gettysburg, Harrisburg, York and Philadelphia and the present-day experience in these cities in this original play.

For more information about ArtPhilly, including the full slate of programming, click the button below.

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