The Philadelphia Citizen
Youth Apprentice along with Director Tracie Currie, Photo Credit - Amir Campbell
20 BLACK ARTISTS TO WATCH
Mural Arts Philadelphia's Fellowship for Black Artists is funding work by 20 local creators. Here's who they are
BY EMMA RIVERSO
JUN. 28, 2021
It’s no secret that the art scene in Philadelphia—and around the world—has suffered due to the pandemic. With public shows on hold and museums largely shuttered, artists worldwide lost the audience and clients who traditionally keep them afloat. And in Philly, the arts took a dramatic hit: The region’s arts and culture industry lost roughly $1 million in revenue every day between March 2020 and March 2021, according to a report from the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, a projection that translates to about $371.7 million in total.
While organizations and individuals have tried to step up to fill this gap—namely Forman Arts Initiative, the new endeavor from Michael Forman and Jennifer Rice, and its recently-debuted Art Works initiative, a program with Philadelphia Foundation and Drexel University—there is so much more funding and support our artists need.
Recognizing that call, Mural Arts Philadelphia has, for the second year in a row, rolled out its Fellowship for Black Artists program to fund, foster and elevate the work of 20 Black artists residing within the City of Philadelphia. The organization, after all, operates on the belief that art ignites change, and subsequently promotes dialogue and understanding within communities. This year’s cohort is comprised of artists who work in a range of media, including painters, photographers, and filmmakers.
“After the uprisings happened last year we, like other organizations around Philadelphia and the country, took stock,” says MAP Executive Director Jane Golden. “This is no time to be complacent; it’s time to do our work with greater intentionality and rigor. We also know that this can’t be spin, can’t be of the moment; it’s part of our longer-term strategy.”
The Fellowship, sponsored by TD Bank, not only provides artists with $2,000 in unrestricted funding, but aims to generate exposure and opportunities for artists by highlighting their work through social media, in addition to involving them in international and local networks.
Fellows will receive financial planning sessions courtesy of TD Bank, as well as sessions with curators Conrad Benner of Streets Dept, Ginger Rudolph of HAHA Magazine, and Noah Smalls of Rush Arts Philadelphia.
Amir “Amiracle” Campbell
Amir Campbell, known as Amiracle, is a multi-faceted creative. His work revolves around displaced identity and unity through the lens of integration and assimilation into American culture as an African American. Through his work, he communicates and forms relationships with his audience. Amiracle uses his subject matter to advance the opportunity to introduce them to the world of artistic expression. His ultimate vision is to blend the worlds of fine art with street art.