Artist Stacy Levy hopes that while you’re sweating the lack of parking spots or that missed bus, you will sit for a beat to notice the massive natural force that’s as big as the moon, the sun and the sea, unfolding daily in your midst.

Her installations, “Tide Field” and “River Rooms,” aim to help Philadelphians to connect to the tides that push water up and down Schuylkill River every day.

You may have noticed the clusters of buoys near the boardwalk along the river, near the Art Museum or at Bartram’s Garden. Those are part of “Tide Field.” The basic idea is to show you the tide, that mostly invisible rise and fall of the river that brings the forces of the sun and moon on the ocean into the city every day. The Schuylkill’s tide changes up to six feet daily.  Continue Reading

If you haven’t visited The Penn Museum‘s iconic lower level Egypt (Sphinx) Gallery for a while you may want to do it within the next 10 days. On July 9, the gallery will close for extensive artifact conservation which will take several years, according to a museum announcement.

This is the first time the red granite Sphinx surrounded by colossal architectural elements of a Pharaoh’s palace circa 1200 BCE is taking a break, after more than 100 years of educating and entertaining guests. The new Ancient Egypt & Nubia Galleries are expected to open in four to six years.  Continue Reading

The popular Summer Nights at the Penn Museum concert series returns Wednesday, June 20, and we’re happy to announce the opening night special for our readers. The series features live music performances from some of Philadelphia’s best live bands—offering the sounds of Creole Zydeco, Latin Jazz, Middle Eastern folk, Pre-Revolutionary Cuba, and more. Concerts are held in the Penn Museum’s outdoor Stoner Courtyard every Wednesday night from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., will run through Sept. 5.

The opening night will feature the Middle Eastern-fusion sounds of Animus,the perfect group to kick off the concert season as the museum celebrates the opening of its new Middle East Galleries. Primarily an Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Latin/American fusion ensemble, Animus also performs traditional Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern music.  Continue Reading

Some of you have probably noticed blue bikes popping up in the last month at several locations in West Philly. They are actually a part of a multisite public art installation by Japanese American filmmaker and visual artist Rea Tajiri. Titled “WATARIDORI: birds of passage,” the project is part of the Asian Arts Initiative’s 25th anniversary celebration and “activates real and speculative histories” of Japanese immigrants in Philadelphia.

Check out this art installation at the front of the house at 4238 Spruce Street:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiwnzRWhpR6/?taken-by=westphillylocal

Other locations for Rea Tajiri’s public art installation include:  Continue Reading

West Philly Porchfest, an outdoor DIY music festival, is returning this Saturday (June 2) with dozens of free shows scheduled from 12 to 6 p.m. This year, musicians and groups representing various musical genres will be performing on porches in the area stretching from Market Street to Woodland Avenue and from 40th to 52nd Streets.

The festival organizers have created a useful map showing host porch locations and show times. All performances are divided into three groups. From 12 to 2 p.m., shows will be held on porches on and south of Baltimore Ave. From 2 to 4 p.m., most performances will be held north of Baltimore Ave. between 48th and 52nd Streets. And finally, from 4 to 6 p.m., check out performances north of Baltimore Ave. between 40th and 48th Streets. There are a few exceptions though (one show will be held near 58th and Osage), so make sure to go to the West Philly Porchfest website to check out the map.

This is the festival’s third year. Last year, 69 porches participated in the event.

40th Street AIR studio and gallery on 40th and Chestnut.

The 40th Street Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program is currently accepting applications from local artists for its 2018-2019 residency in West Philadelphia. The program provides one year of free studio space to visual artists who reside in or are strongly affiliated with West Philadelphia neighborhoods.

The program assists emerging artists in their career growth and also lets them share their talents with the local community.  Continue Reading