The Barnes Announces Seventh Annual Barnes on the Block with Mural Arts Philadelphia

Sunday, July 14, 2024, noon–5 pm

Live music, food trucks, beer garden & art-making activities
Free admission to the Barnes collection & exhibitions

Philadelphia, PA, June 24, 2024—The Barnes Foundation announces the seventh annual Barnes on the Block, in collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia, on Sunday, July 14, noon–5 pm. Barnes on the Block with Mural Arts Philadelphia is presented by PNC Arts Alive.

Taking place on the grounds of the Barnes Foundation, Barnes on the Block is a free block party that encourages neighbors to connect through various forms of creativity. The popular event features a variety of food trucks and the Barnes on the Block Beer Garden by Constellation Culinary Group, plus entertainment and activities for guests of all ages, including family-friendly art making, live music, and dance performances. Throughout the day, guests can enjoy live painting led by Mural Arts Philadelphia; a pop-up ceramics studio with The Clay Studio’s Claymobile; DJ sets by Ben Arsenal and DJ Giz; and a celebration of hip-hop through dance with TAMEARTZ. Guests can also have a personalized poem written by Marshall James Kavanaugh, make their own identity symbol with Cesar Viveros and Lemus, create a collage with Collage Philadelphia, and more.

“In its seventh year, Barnes on the Block has become a fixture on Philly’s summer calendar, and we’re excited to partner with Mural Arts Philadelphia once again to bring the community together for a day of artful fun for the whole family,” says James Claiborne, deputy director for community engagement. “This year’s event is a true representation of the vibrancy of the city’s creative community, featuring a stellar lineup of Philadelphia artists, makers, and performers, along with delicious food and beverage options from local vendors.”

“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we are excited to once again collaborate with the Barnes Foundation for Barnes on the Block,” says Jane Golden, executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia. “This family-oriented celebration of art and music will not only be fun but also highlight the power of art to unite our community. We hope people from every part of the city join us on this special day!"

During Barnes on the Block, guests also enjoy free admission to the first floor of the Barnes collection; the new exhibition Matisse & Renoir: New Encounters at the Barnes, featuring a selection of renowned canvases from its modern European art collection; and Visions, an exhibition of original artwork created by participants in Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Guild program and artists at SCI Phoenix, southeast Pennsylvania’s maximum-security prison for men, on view in the first-floor classroom of the collection gallery.

Registration is required for collection and exhibition access, and capacity is limited. Free tickets for timed admission will be available online beginning at 1o am on Thursday, July 11. Additional information will be available on the website.

The full lineup of activities is available on our website, with highlights listed below:

• A variety of food trucks will be located on 20th Street (between the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Callowhill Street).
• Barnes on the Block Beer Garden by Constellation Culinary Group will serve seasonal brews from Philadelphia-based Yards Brewing Co.; Two Robbers vodka sodas, featuring cans inspired by Mural Arts; Surfside Vodka Iced Tea and Lemonade; a selection of French wines, including rosé, in celebration of Bastille Day; Hibiscus Punch, featuring Tenango Rum, which was founded by El Merkury owner-chef Sofia Deleon, whose grandmother was one of the first female distillers in Guatemala; and nonalcoholic beverage options. The beer garden will be located near the Barnes box office on 20th Street (between the Parkway and Callowhill Street). Beers from Yards Brewing Co. will include: Yards Bit Viper, Yards High Dive Summer Pils, Yards Pale Ale.
  
• Music and dance performances throughout the day will include:
  DJ sets by Ben Arsenal and DJ Giz
  Performances by TAMEARTZ, West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad, Batala Philly, and more.
• From noon to 4 pm, art-making demos will include:
  Decorating your own lantern with Ken Johnston
  Live painting led by Mural Arts Philadelphia
  A pop-up ceramics studio with The Clay Studio’s Claymobile
  A celebration of hip-hop through dance with TAMEARTZ
  Personalized poems by Marshall James Kavanaugh
  Make your identity symbol with Cesar Viveros and Lemus
  Creating a collage with Collage Philadelphia
  Crafting with Fleisher Art Memorial’s Color Wheels

Please note: Barnes on the Block will take place rain or shine, moving indoors in the event of inclement weather.

SPONSOR
Barnes on the Block with Mural Arts Philadelphia is presented by PNC Arts Alive.

ABOUT THE BARNES FOUNDATION
The Barnes Foundation is a nonprofit cultural and educational institution that shares its unparalleled art collection with the public, organizes special exhibitions, and presents programming that fosters new ways of thinking about human creativity. The Barnes collection is displayed in ensembles that integrate art and objects from across cultures and time periods, overturning traditional hierarchies and revealing universal elements of human expression. Home to one of the world’s finest collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern paintings—including the largest groups of paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Paul Cézanne in existence—the Barnes brings together renowned canvases by Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and Vincent van Gogh, alongside African, Asian, ancient, medieval, and Native American art as well as metalwork, furniture, and decorative art.

The Barnes Foundation was established by Dr. Albert C. Barnes in 1922 to “promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture.” A visionary collector and pioneering educator, Dr. Barnes was also a fierce advocate for the civil rights of African Americans, women, and the economically marginalized. Committed to racial equality and social justice, he established a scholarship program to support young Black artists, writers, and musicians who wanted to further their education. Dr. Barnes was deeply interested in African American culture and became actively involved in the Harlem Renaissance, during which he collaborated with philosopher Alain Locke and Charles S. Johnson, the scholar and activist, to promote awareness of the artistic value of African art.

Since moving to Philadelphia in 2012, the Barnes Foundation has expanded its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social justice, teaching visual literacy in groundbreaking ways; investing in original scholarship relating to its collection; and enhancing accessibility throughout every facet of its programs.

The Barnes Foundation is situated in Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape people. Read our Land Acknowledgment.

Hours and ticket prices are listed on our website.

ABOUT MURAL ARTS PHILADELPHIA
Mural Arts Philadelphia is the nation’s largest public art program, dedicated to the belief that art ignites change. Now celebrating its 40th anniversary with the theme Roots & Reimagination, Mural Arts has united artists and communities through a collaborative and equitable process, creating over 4,300 artworks that have transformed public spaces and individual lives. Mural Arts aims to empower people, stimulate dialogue, and build bridges to mutual understanding through projects that attract artists from Philadelphia and around the world and programs that focus on youth education, restorative justice, mental health and wellness, and public arts preservation. Popular mural tours offer a firsthand glimpse into the inspiring stories behind Mural Arts’ iconic and unparalleled collection, earning Philadelphia worldwide recognition as the “Mural Capital of the World.” For more information, call 215.685.0750 or visit muralarts.org.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Barnes Foundation:
Deirdre Maher, Director of Communications
215.278.7160, press@barnesfoundation.org
Online press office: https://www.barnesfoundation.org/press

Mural Arts Philadelphia:
Tamara Yvette Day, Account Executive, Signature57
571.435.5304, tday@signature57.com