VOLUNTEER
The PA election results were great, whew! But while we sweat out Arizona, Nevada, Georgia and Colorado, one really great way to relieve the tension and anxiety and to move forward is to get involved with your community. Volunteer. Organizations will be thrilled to have your service! Stay positive out there and stay safe. Here’s just one volunteer opportunity – with the Philadelphia Horticulture Society.
Plant a tree:
Planting trees is a powerful way to enhance the health and well-being of neighborhoods. PHS’s Tree Tenders program works with volunteer-based community groups to plant trees. The program provides workshops in tree planting and care and volunteer group organization. PHS has trained more than 6,000 people who have gone on to lead volunteers in planting over 2,000 trees each year.PHS’s Watersheds program provides funding and technical support to watershed management non-profits. Through this program, dozens of such watershed restoration projects are conducted throughout the region. This results in thousands of trees planted in those sensitive water protection zones every year.
Yet, the Greater Philadelphia region still needs more trees. While a “good” tree canopy coverage (the area of land shaded by trees) is considered to be 30% of land area, the city of Philadelphia only has 20% coverage and as little as 2.5% in some neighborhoods.
PHS is committed to increasing the canopy, especially in neighborhoods with few trees and high average temperatures. Throughout the year, PHS works with more than 100 community groups to plant and care for trees in the Philadelphia region. Help PHS partner with community members and plant more trees in your neighborhood.
PHS loves volunteers!
Volunteering at PHS is a great way to make a difference and create a positive change in the community. No previous experience is necessary – we give you the training you need. Join thousands of volunteers committed to connecting people with horticulture to create beautiful, healthy, and sustainable communities.Volunteers support PHS programs and communities throughout the year, in a variety of ways: in community gardens, at public landscapes, by planting trees, and at the Flower Show, to name a few.
EVENTS
November 1 through December 20
Supine Horizons
KDD Theatre, 5427 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144
Tuesdays, 4-8pm
Thursdays, 4-8pm
Fridays, 12-8pm
Saturdays, 11:30am-6pm
Visitors are encouraged to make reservations here.Philadelphia Contemporary—a contemporary art organization connecting the people and places of Philadelphia through art and partnership—is pleased to announce the opening of Supine Horizons, an immersive site for rest, resistance, and renewal, featuring synthesized sound and projected visuals by local multimedia artist Gralin Hughes, Jr. (Television Sky).
Open November 1st through December 20th at the Kinesics Dance Dynamics (KDD) Theatre in Germantown, Supine Horizons seeks to subvert capitalist ideals of “hustle” and “grind” culture, dismantling the idea that rest is solely a luxury or a privilege. The installation features couches, ultra-supportive bean bag chairs that mimic the sensations of flotation therapy, and restorative yoga props alongside relaxing, ambient soundscapes and soothing projected visuals. In inviting visitors to rest, Supine Horizons aims to recenter rest as the ultimate form of self-care and collective healing, particularly for the Black community.
The sound and visuals for the project were developed by Hughes––a member of PhillyAV, an artist-led experimental multimedia collective, and a founding member of blkpatches––during a month-long residency in October 2022. The artist created original sound compositions and corresponding visuals using modular synthesizers and software, in addition to incorporating non-traditional techniques such as the biorhythms in plants. Enhanced by projection mapping and lighting techniques, the resulting compositions are generative and ever-changing, creating an experience that is constantly evolving, akin to our relationship to ourselves and one another.
According to Gralin Hughes, Jr., “As a Black man, I grew up with the idea that you had to work twice as hard to get even half of the respect of a White person. Rest or taking care of yourself was perceived as lazy in that framework. Supine Horizons counters that as an invitation to rest, a space where people—especially Black people—can feel safe, cozy, and comfortable physically and mentally. The installation’s interactivity is not to move or control the environment but to rest and do nothing. The project is particularly poignant to me being situated in Germantown, where I grew up, as an offering to my late grandmother and other family members. They were not given such an invitation.” More information and a complete schedule here.
Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 4-5 PM on Zoom, Free with registration
Virtual Speaker Series
Insights: The Future of Public Art with Karyn Olivier
Register hereJoin us! The Association for Public Art (aPA) in Philadelphia is marking its 150th anniversary with a series of special programs exploring the history and future of public art.
IN THE SHELTER OF EACH OTHER
Karyn Olivier, Philadelphia-based Artist and Professor of Sculpture at Temple UniversityOn Tuesday, November 15th join us for a virtual presentation and discussion with Karyn Olivier, a Philadelphia-based artist and professor of sculpture at Temple University. As an artist, Oliver engages with existing monuments and the fabrication of contemporary monuments and memorials. In this presentation, Oliver will discuss the major themes within her work, the challenges and responsibilities of working in the public realm, and the sources of inspiration that have shaped her as an artist.
NOTABLE VIEWING
Crafts on PBS with Syd Carpenter, Helen Drutt English, and Wharton Esherick Museum
PBS Broadcast Premier December 16, 2022, 10pm (check local listings)
View TrailerPhiladelphia artists Syd Carpenter, Helen Drutt English, and the Wharton Esherick Museum are cornerstones in Craft in America’s newest episode HOME, premiering November 1 on the digital platforms of PBS and Craft in America. The PBS broadcast premiere is December 16 at 10pm (check local listings). The episode HOME is part of the new season of Craft in America, the Peabody Award-winning documentary series on PBS discovering the beauty, significance and relevance of handmade objects and the artists who create them. View the full episode here
A free public screening happens November 11, 11:15am at CraftNOW’s Symposium, at the Moore College Art and Design. A panel with the featured artists follows. The Symposium is part of CraftMONTH in Philadelphia and coincides with the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show.
Philadelphia artists Syd Carpenter, Helen Drutt English, and the Wharton Esherick Museum help viewers explore the many meanings of HOME. The word has taken on heightened importance in recent years. Craft in America’s episode embraces the many facets of Home—from the physical structure, to the belongings we cherish, to the meals we share with family and friends. “Through the artists and stories represented in this episode, HOME honors the significance of our surroundings, while also acknowledging the challenging histories that have shaped our ideas of it,” shares Carol Sauvion, Executive Director of Craft in America. Executive Producer Patricia Bischetti adds, “HOME offers a nuanced exploration of the environments we make and the personal, historical, and creative influences that shape them.”
View the full episode
View Syd Carpenter’s page at Craft in America
View Helen Drutt English’s page at Craft in America
View the Wharton Esherick Museum’s page at Craft in America
OPPORTUNITY
The Philadelphia Cultural Fund seeks Executive Director – Applications due Nov. 30
From the PCF:
We have just launched the search for a new Executive Director. We are looking for a dynamic leader who has deep knowledge of the Philadelphia arts and culture and/or non-profit community and will bring a strong sense of generosity, entrepreneurialism, and political savvy to the position.Here’s the link to the ED job description if you are interested in applying or if you know someone who might want to apply.
PCF is also looking for a part-time coordinator starting in January to assist us with the grantmaking process. Please help us spread the word.
Program Coordinator Job Posting
The deadline to apply for both positions is Wednesday, November 30th.
We are also inviting you to send us questions that you would like the candidates to answer. Please send them to Caralyn by December 2nd so that we can incorporate them into the interview process.
We are also doing an info webinar about the ED position on Tuesday, November 15th at 11am. No registration is necessary. Find out more details about the position and ask anonymous questions in the chat.
Zoom Link
Passcode: 102484
The Bearded Ladies is hiring an Executive Director
Learn more about the Executive Director position at the Cultural Alliance Job Bank.
