Penn’s Arts & the City Year celebrated arts and culture across our campus – and throughout our neighborhood, city, and region.
It featured an exciting range of events in Fall 2009 and Spring 2010, from dynamic student performances and distinguished guest artists, to vital discussions about national arts policy, the role of the arts in public health, and the importance of civic engagement with arts and culture.
With its array of diverse perspectives, the Arts & the City Year spotlighted Penn’s commitment to knowledge that crosses disciplines and boundaries, while reaffirming the essential role of arts and culture in campus and city life.
The year included a wide range of student programs and initiatives, including Arts Grants, an Arts & Culture Passport, Arts Crawls, and weekly notices of special events and discounts.
EVENTS
Young Photographers in North Philadelphia
December 10, 2009 – May 2010
Penn Museum presents an exhibit of photographs of North Philadelphia, taken by local children (ages 5 to 13) between 2000 and 2009.
Righteous Dopefiend Exhibit at Penn Museum
December 5, 2009 – May 2010
Penn Museum presents an exhibit of the work of Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor Philippe Bourgois, featuring more than 40 photographs accompanying his landmark research into the lives of homeless drug addicts in San Francisco.
By Local Series at the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts
September 2009 – May 2010
Throughout the Arts & The City Year, Penn’s Annenberg Center presents performances from some of Philadelphia’s most innovative local artists, including dance, music, theater, and performance art.
Museum at the Arthur Ross Gallery
March 26-28, 2010
This special Arts & The City Year event presented Tina Howe’s comic play about a contemporary gallery in the Arthur Ross Gallery itself, including cameos from members of the Penn community and a post-performance panel discussion, featuring playwright Tina Howe and including questions from the audience and a reception.
Can the Arts Revive Our Cities and the Nation’s Economy?
March 2, 2010
The Penn Institute for Urban Research welcomed Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, as the keynote speaker for a symposium and discussion on how the arts impact local and national economies, and their potential to help rebuild them.
Anna Deavere Smith: The Arts in Public Health
January 26, 2010
Renowned writer/actress Anna Deavere Smith presented her most recent work on access to health care in America, in a free presentation at Zellerbach Theater, as part of Creative Action: The Arts in Public Health, a year-long series at the Center for Public Health Initiatives that presents the perspectives of artists on critical public health issues, especially in Philadelphia and among immigrant and historically underrepresented groups.
Jacob Lawrence and the Urban Experience
October 16, 2009 – December 24, 2009
The Arthur Ross Gallery presented a comprehensive survey of the prints of urban life in Harlem produced between 1963-2000 by the landmark African-American artist.
Arts Crawl
November 20, 2009
Students enjoyed fourteen hours of arts events on and around campus, including a wide range of performances, exhibits, and participatory events.
Arts & Culture at Homecoming Weekend
November 6-7, 2009
For the first time, Homecoming Weekend included a wide range of exciting arts and culture events to complement the football game, including classes, concerts, tours, panels, children’s events, film screenings, and other special events.
West Philadelphia: Building a Community
July 3 – October 11, 2009
In collaboration with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and the Penn Archives, the Arthur Ross Gallery presented an exhibition focused on the architectural and community development of West Philadelphia since the second half of the 19th century. It featured a wide range of historical documents, including maps, photos, oral histories, and watercolors with scenes from some of the neighborhood’s earliest years.
Penn Institute for Urban Research Symposium
October 6, 2009, 3 PM
Experts from Penn and the Philadelphia region discussed the importance of the arts in enhancing the quality of urban life and promoting the economic vitality of the city and region.
Locust Walk Arts Fair
September 29, 2009, 11 AM-2 PM
Representatives of more than 30 arts organizations, from across Philadelphia and Penn, were on campus to showcase their work, meet new friends, and talk about their upcoming seasons.