Project Description
Overview
In our democracy, power is supposed to reside with the people—all the people, not just a privileged few.
But instead, the systems of power that govern our lives have been made for us and without us. In response, The Village and our neighbors have created a space to generate our own people power.
In 2022, The Village completed its renovation of three rowhomes that had been vacant for more than two decades. The properties, formerly owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, have been transformed into a gathering space and media lab at the center of our creative campus. Here, community members, artists, and advocates will be able to collaboratively study how power operates, create works that amplify existing neighborhood power, and design new systems of power rooted in care rather than control.
Care Rather Than Control
The Village receives highly competitive Artplace America award to build Civic Power Studio in North Philadelphia
Where it all began! In December of 2017, The Village of Arts & Humanities was named one of 23 awardees (out of 1000+ applicants nationally) to receive an ArtPlaceAmerica grant to build a Civic Power Studio in our neighborhood — a site co-designed with our neighborhood leaders of all ages. We give special thanks to our cofounders Lily Yeh, Big Man, Jo Jo and Arthur Hall who have taught us that art is an instrumental tool for demonstrating and enacting Power.