Philadelphia Federal Credit Union(PFCU) and the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program (Mural Arts) today announced that between October 2 and October 16, members of the Philadelphia community are invited to help select the design of a new mural coming to the corner of E. Dauphin Street and Frankford Avenue in the Fishtown/East Kensington section of Philadelphia. During this two-week period, design concepts for the mural created by local artists will exhibit at PFCU’s Fishtown Branch, located at 2136 E. Dauphin Street for the public to view. They can subsequently cast their vote for their favorite design on PFCU’s Facebook page. A special event celebrating the opening of the exhibition and voting period, coinciding with Frankford Ave Arts’ First Friday, will take place on October 2, 2015, 6 - 8 p.m. at PFCU’s Fishtown Branch.
“As a member-owned and not-for-profit financial institution, it’s been a priority for us from the beginning when we set out to create a community mural that reflects the spirit of the Fishtown neighborhood that the community be involved in the effort throughout the entire process,” said James McAneney, President/CEO of PFCU. “We hope our neighbors in Fishtown and the surrounding communities will participate in this initiative that is helping to beautify the neighborhood while also celebrating everything it has to offer.”
Free and open to the public, the Opening Night of the mural design exhibition and voting period will give attendees an opportunity to view the design concepts, interact with the artists behind the designs and enjoy complimentary refreshments. For the duration of the voting period, the public is encouraged to visit the branch any time during the branch’s regular business hours to view the mural designs. Hours of operation are as follows: Monday - Wednesday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Thursday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Members of the community can vote on the design regardless of whether or not they visit PFCU’s Fishtown Branch by visiting PFCU’s Facebook page during the voting period.
The three local artists or teams selected as finalists and contracted to create an original design concept for the mural include: (1) Jeff Kilpatrick and Brad Carney; (2) Marie Elcin; and (3) Emily White and Kien Nguyen. The artists were chosen among a diverse and highly competitive group of applicants who live or work in the East Kensington/Fishtown area and were determined by a group of judges comprised of representatives from PFCU, Mural Arts and New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC).
The final selection of the design concept will be announced the week of October 19, 2015. At that time, the artist or team of artists with the most votes will begin creating the mural, which is slated to be unveiled at the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby & Arts Festival in May 2016. The community will have several opportunities to participate in the mural-making process through a number of events, including paint days that will be announced at a later date.
For more information on PFCU’s and Mural Arts’ mural, please contact Leslie Lodwick, Project Manager, Mural Arts Program, at Leslie.Lodwick@muralarts.org.
About Philadelphia Federal Credit Union
Founded in 1951, PFCU is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial institution serving Philadelphia and Columbia County, Pa. PFCU is among the top five credit unions in the Greater Philadelphia area, with 10 branch locations, more than $948 million in assets, 112,000 members, and more than 400 Select Employee Groups (SEGs). PFCU returns its profits to members in the form of higher dividend rates, lower loan rates, better services, and investment in the community. For more information, visit www.pfcu.com and connect with PFCU on Facebook and Twitter.
About the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program
The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program (Mural Arts) is the nation’s largest public art program, dedicated to the belief that art ignites change. For 30 years, Mural Arts has united artists and communities through a collaborative process, rooted in the traditions of mural making, to create art that transforms public spaces and individual lives. Mural Arts engages communities in 50–100 public art projects each year and maintains its growing collection through a restoration initiative. Core Mural Arts programs such as Art Education, Restorative Justice, and Porch Light yield unique, project-based learning opportunities for thousands of youth and adults. Each year, 12,000 residents and visitors tour Mural Arts’ outdoor art gallery, which has become part of the city’s civic landscape and a source of pride and inspiration, earning Philadelphia international recognition as the “City of Murals.” For further information, call 215-685-0750 or visit muralarts.org. Follow us on social media: @muralarts on Twitter and Instagram, phillymuralarts on YouTube, and MuralArtsPhiladelphia on Facebook.