The Barnes Foundation and Mural Arts Philadelphia Present Just Us
Exhibition featuring new work by artists from Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Rec Crew & SCI Phoenix
On view June 26–August 24, 2026
Philadelphia, PA, June 9, 2026—This summer, the Barnes Foundation and Mural Arts Philadelphia present Just Us, an exhibition of original work created by artists from Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Rec Crew, a 24-week job readiness and life skills program for justice-impacted young adults, and artists at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Phoenix, southeast Pennsylvania’s maximum-security prison for men. Free with general admission to the Barnes, Just Us will be on view in the first-floor classroom of the Collection Gallery from June 26 through August 24, 2026. Also, during the month of July, the Barnes is offering free admission for Philadelphia residents on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Throughout the spring, Rec Crew members participated in art education classes in the Barnes collection taught by instructor Christine Stoughton and Bill Perthes, curator of community vitality at the Barnes, and art-making workshops at Second State Press led by its executive director Emma Flick and Stoughton. Artists at SCI Phoenix work year-round in a dedicated studio space, creating original artwork as well as visual elements that are incorporated into many of Mural Arts’ public murals. Throughout the spring, Perthes visited the artists at SCI Phoenix to discuss the exhibition theme. Just Us is the culmination of this spring’s initiative, and the artworks in the exhibition convey the fellowship shared among the artists, as justice-impacted individuals often experience a lingering sense of marginalization, and recall their continued struggle for equality and justice.
“The Barnes and Mural Arts have shared goals of promoting social justice and investing in the arts as a pathway to a positive future,” says Perthes. “We are proud to present Just Us this summer, which draws its title from the word ‘justice,’ conveys the collegiality within and between the Rec Crew and the men at SCI Phoenix, and suggests that the artists are ‘just like the rest of us.’”
“Just Us is a powerful expression of what happens when access to the arts is nurtured—it ignites the imagination and creates community, fellowship, and opportunities for collaboration,” says Jane Golden, executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia. “What moves me most about this exhibition is the fellowship at its heart: between the Rec Crew and the artists at SCI Phoenix, between our two institutions, and between these artists and the broader public who will encounter their work.”
The Rec Crew is part of Mural Arts’ Restorative Justice program, which engages individuals who are incarcerated or on parole, probation, home detainment, or work release, and those with open criminal cases, by providing opportunities to reconnect with society in productive ways through community engagement, skill-building, and collaborative mural projects. Participants in Mural Arts’ Rec Crew learn how to develop resumes and prepare for interviews while building plans for personal and professional growth with a focus on career pathways leading to employment in city operations or the creative economy. The Barnes and Mural Arts launched their collaborative restorative justice initiative in 2018.
SPONSORS
Just Us is made possible through an ongoing partnership between the Barnes and Mural Arts Philadelphia. The artwork created by participants was made possible by a partnership with Second State Press.
The Barnes’s restorative justice programming is supported by Pam and Tony Schneider.
Lead support for community engagement and family programs is provided through the Comcast Center for Community Engagement at the Barnes. Generous endowment support for community engagement programs is provided by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and additional annual support for these programs comes from David and Julia Fleischner, and other generous individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
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 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 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 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 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. Mural Arts has united artists and communities through a collaborative and equitable process, creating over 4,000 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 art 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.” Philadelphia was recently named the number one city for Best Street Art by USA Today. For more information, call 215.685.0750 or visit muralarts.org.
###
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Tim Spreitzer, Brian Communications
215.514.0170, tspreitzer@briancom.com
Josie Hall, Brian Communications
215.622.8814, jhall@briancom.com
Mural Arts Philadelphia: Frank Luzi, Luzi Media
215.779.7614, frank@luzi.media
Barnes Foundation: Deirdre Maher, Lead Director of Communications
press@barnesfoundation.org
Online press office: barnesfoundation.org/press