Mayor Jim Kenney and Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy celebrates 17th Annual National Arts Program® Art Exhibition at City Hall Reception

Mayor Jim Kenney and the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy will celebrate the 17th Annual National Arts Program® Exhibit at Philadelphia in City Hall on Wednesday, December 14^th from 5 – 7 p.m.  The reception and awards presentation will honor art by City government employees and their families, and will reveal this year’s “Best in Show” selection as well as other category winners.

For the past seventeen years, the annual National Arts Program® Exhibit in Philadelphia has showcased artwork by thousands of City employees and their family members from all branches of the city government and agencies, including the Philadelphia Police and Fire Departments, Philadelphia Courts, Parks and Recreation, and many more. The exhibit features 185 works of art by over 100 artists, showcasing various mediums and subjects that range from poignant tributes to fallen Police Officers Sergeant Robert Francis Wilson, III and Sergeant Patrick McDonald, to clay sculptures of historical figures, photography, works on paper, painted masks by children and more. The competition is unique as it allows participants of all ages to submit works for consideration. Cash awards are presented to winners in five categories: Amateur, Intermediate, Professional, Teens 13 – 19, Youth Under 12, and Best in Show. Each participating artist receives a Certificate of Participation.

Tim Gibbon, the Executive Director of the Public Citizens for Children and Youth’s Picasso Project, judged the exhibition category winners, and City of Philadelphia Representative Sheila Hess was the honorary “Best in Show” judge.

Mayor Jim Kenney, who will be honoring the National Arts Program® exhibition winners at the reception, has spoken of been touched by the artwork made by City employees and their family members.

“Every day I come to work at City Hall I have been able to see the great artworks by City employees and their families,” said Mayor Kenney. “In learning that the exhibition participants hail from all different departments including police officers, firemen, and civil servants, their artwork inspires not only their fellow City employees but also their fellow Philadelphians, who may not have thought of expressing themselves through art before viewing this exhibition.”

“I have been touched by the stories I have heard from City employees that have participated in the National Arts Program® Exhibit and their excitement for the return of this exhibition and competition each year,” said City of Philadelphia’s Chief Cultural Officer Kelly Lee. “It has become a City of Philadelphia tradition that City employees have been able to share with their families and it is not surprising to have several generations exhibited in the same exhibition.”

“In my thirteen years of coordinating this event I’ve had the unique privilege of witnessing the creative evolution of many of our participating artists,” says Tu Huynh, City Hall Exhibits Manager. “Their genuine enthusiasm and excitement for this opportunity to exhibit reaffirms our commitment not only to the arts, but also to the people behind the work. Art has the power to bring people and communities together.”

Jackie Szafara, Executive Director of the National Arts Program® Foundation acknowledged Mayor Kenney’s support of the exhibition and spoke of the enduring collaboration between the City of Philadelphia and the Foundation that has lasted for the past seventeen years.

“We look forward to celebrating the artistic talents of Philadelphia city employees and their family members this December 14 at the 17th Annual National Arts Program® Art Exhibit reception,” said Szafara. “We are grateful for the support of Mayor Kenney and also the ongoing collaboration between the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy and the City of Philadelphia.”

About City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy

The mission of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy is to support and promote arts, culture and the creative industries; and to develop partnerships and coordinate efforts that weave arts, culture and creativity into the economic and social fabric of the City. For more information about the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, visit: www.CreativePHL.org, Facebook.com/CreativePHL and on Twitter @CreativePHL and Instagram @CreativePHL.

About the National Arts Program Foundation

The National Arts Program® has been proudly displaying artwork for over thirty years. Employees, residents and the public alike have all been given the opportunity to display their artwork without prejudice. All artwork is hung in a public space, professionally judged and awards are presented based on artistic experience; opportunities often reserved only for professional artists. These annual shows have been a success in over eighty cities, hospitals, airports and public and private institutions across the country. For more information, visit: www.nationalartsprogram.org, Facebook.com/NationalArts, on Twitter @NationalArts, on Instagram @NationalArts,and on Youtube.com/user/NationalArtsProgram.