Mural exhibition urges Philadelphians to vote

A new exhibition put together by local artists and activists will urge civic participation with large, 64-square-foot murals in Center City.

The installation, called “To the Polls,” will open in a Callowhill warehouse on 10th and Hamilton in late September, just weeks before the voter registration deadline in October. It will feature murals by 10 local artists, each of whom have been tasked with creating eight-foot by eight-foot pieces that urge the community to vote.

“The artists have been encouraged to create artwork that explores the many complex issues affecting Philadelphians today, as well as rallying civic engagement and voter participation more generally,” according to a statement from project organizers.

The public art exhibition is the brainchild of Conrad Benner, a Philly activist who runs the popular blog “Streets Dept,” and who recently made headlines when he and several other activists and artists turned trash can ads into mini murals.

“It’s my hope that the more people participate, and by participate I mean both vote and run for public office, that we’ll start to see a government that reflects its people,” Benner said in a statement on the exhibition.

The murals will be on display September 26 through October 3, with a panel discussion on October 1 at 6 p.m.

• Announcing “To the Polls” [Streets Dept]
• Reclaiming public space: How Philadelphians turned ads into art [Curbed Philly]