Students enrolled in any high school in Philadelphia, including homeschooled teens, can visit the Penn Museum free of charge this fall as part of a back-to-school initiative.

Free admission for students will be offered Tuesdays through Fridays, from 3-5 p.m.. Students will be offered a safe space during a critical after-school timeframe. They will also receive free admission on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Identification is not required, but teens will be asked by museum staff about their birth date, zip code, and the school they attend.

Students from any college or university are also able to visit the museum at no cost on Tuesdays-Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m. In addition, teachers can always visit the museum for free.  Continue Reading

Here’s a great opportunity to watch two independent films with your family, friends and neighbors while in your own home! On Thursday, Aug. 13, at 5:30 p.m., join (via Zoom) this pop-up, virtual film club to screen two films from Mike Dennis of Reelblack Inc – “Hardest Part” and “Next Tuesday”. After the screening, stick around to have a community chat and share your thoughts and reactions to the films.

For more information and to register, click here.

Blue Stoop, a literary hub supporting Philadelphia writers and readers from all walks of life, is offering 8-week writing classes for the 2020 Fall season, including Foundations of Fiction Writing, Foundations of Cultural Essay Writing, and Foundations of Poetry Writing. All classes will be virtual this fall – through Zoom – led by Philadelphia based writers and poets.

The organization is also offering shorter intensives, the first being “Creating the Creative Life You Want” with writer and founder of the online community “Permission to Write,” Ashley Coleman, on Saturday, Aug. 22.  Continue Reading

West Philly artists are invited to submit their designs for the Enterprise Center’s 52nd Street Banner Design Contest. The Enterprise Center is seeking design concepts that will “positively represent 52nd Street culture, and that community members will be proud of.” The winning design will not only be featured prominently on 52nd Street, but the artist will also be awarded a $2,500 prize!

A panel consisting from representatives from the Enterprise Center and from the West Philly arts scene will select the winning design. Preference will be given to artists who live in West Philadelphia.

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31.

For more details and to submit your design, go here.

After a four-month closure, the Penn Museum is reopening its doors to visitors. The official reopening date is Tuesday, July 28 and the museum will have COVID-19 safety protocols in place, such as limited capacity in the galleries and advanced online ticket reservations for visitors.

Admission to the museum will be timed to help social distancing and floors will have special markings to guide visitors on a one-way route through the museum.  Continue Reading

The West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (WPCA), which promotes social change through the arts and curates the historic Paul Robeson House & Museum located at 4951 Walnut Street, is celebrating its 36th Anniversary today and has some great news to share with the community!

The organization was recently awarded a $135,000 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. The funding will be used to hire a new executive director, who will be the first paid leader in the organization’s history. The nonprofit WPCA has always relied on volunteers.

The new executive director will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the WPCA and the Robeson House & Museum, as well as ensure its sustainability.  Continue Reading