Visual Arts for Flourishing Philadelphia

April 26-27, 2024

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

A free interdisciplinary conference that explores how the visual arts in Philadelphia and beyond promote flourishing in individuals and communities.

Hosted by the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project at the University of Pennsylvania, the Visual Arts for Flourishing Philadelphia conference is an opportunity for learning, professional development, and connection around how the visual arts promote flourishing individuals and communities in the City of Brotherly Love and beyond.

Featuring programming on:

• How the visual arts and creativity cultivate flourishing

• Audience experience and well-being

• Community impact of the arts

• Trauma-informed organizations

• Advocacy strategies

• Collecting data that illustrates institutional values

Hear perspectives from psychology researchers, public health researchers, social workers, arts practitioners, and museum professionals, and gather with others who, like you, believe that the visual arts are indispensable for flourishing.

Friday, April 26, 2024 | 9am to 5pm

8:15am - Registration

9:00am - Framing the Work: Welcome and Introduction to the Arts, Humanities, and Human Flourishing | James Pawelski, University of Pennsylvania

10:00am - Cultural Ecology and Social Wellbeing: The Social Value of Culture to Urban Neighborhoods | Mark Stern, University of Pennsylvania

11:00am - Painting a Path for Museums and other Visual Art Spaces on Becoming more Culturally Responsive and Trauma Informed | Tamarah Moss, Bryn Mawr College

12:00pm - Lunch (see here for nearby suggestions) + Art-making | Olivia Edlund, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

1:30pm - Impact of the Arts | Sunil Iyengar, National Endowment for the Arts

1:45pm - Case Studies from Philadelphia Arts Organizations

• Joseph Iacona & Netanel Portier, Mural Arts

• Marie Edland, William Perthes, & Liza Herzog, The Barnes Foundation

2:30pm - The Hospital Murals Evaluation (HoME) | Nisha Sajnani, New York University

2:55pm - Viewing Alone or Together: How Social Interaction Impacts the Art Experience | Zab Johnson, University of Pennsylvania

3:30pm - Resourcing the Arts and Well-Being | A Panel Discussion

• Sunil Iyengar, National Endowment for the Arts

• Chloe Reison, University of Pennsylvania

• Nisha Sajnani, New York University

• Kelly Shindler, Pew Center for Arts & Heritage

Saturday, April 27, 2024 | 9am to 5pm

8:15am - Mindfulness Meditation | Christa Mahlobo, University of Pennsylvania

9:00am - Visual Art and Flourishing: Understanding the Impact of Your Organization | Katherine Cotter, University of Pennsylvania

10:00am - Case Studies from Philadelphia Arts Organizations

• Bernard Collins & Maureen Duffy, Fleisher Art Memorial

• Linnea West & Julia Erdosy, Philadelphia Museum of Art

• Rachell Morillo, Institute of Contemporary Art

11:00am - Everyday Creativity and Well-Being | Paul Silvia, University of North Carolina Greensboro

12:00pm - Lunch (see here for nearby suggestions) + Art-making | Caitlin Deutsch, Fleisher Art Memorial

1:30pm - Search for Meaning and Understanding in the Museum: A Multiple Methods Approach | Pablo Tinio, Montclair State University

2:30pm - Case Studies from Philadelphia Arts Organizations

• Olivia Edlund, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

• Nadia Malik, Mural Arts

• Suzannah Niepold, Philadelphia Museum of Art

3:30pm - Exploring Barriers and Engagement in Black American Arts Through Survey Insights | Christa Mahlobo, University of Pennsylvania

4:30pm - Closing Remarks | James Pawelski, University of Pennsylvania