(BOP) - The Philadelphia Mural Arts program, established in 1984, is part of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network which works to eradicate graffiti from city structures and buildings. Through a partnership with the Mural Arts Program, female inmates from FDC Philadelphia will produce an art piece for the city during the summer of 2016.
Fifty FDC Philadelphia staff members participated in an event presented by the City of Philadelphia, during Reentry Week, to learn about the reentry benefits associated with the program.
Representatives from the Mural Arts Program presented a slide show of public art located throughout the city and shared compelling stories of the transformative nature of each art piece. Participants could see how these art projects build relationships, empower communities and spark economic revitalization. FDC Philadelphia's Reentry Affairs Coordinator Scott Barrett noted, "this program, and the public art it has produced in collaboration with incarcerated and returned citizens, has become a point of pride for the city of Philadelphia."