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The Barnes Announces Eighth Annual Barnes on the Block with Mural Arts Philadelphia

Sunday, July 13, 2025, 11 am–5 pm

Live music, dance performances, beer garden & art-making activities

Free admission to the Barnes collection & exhibitions

Philadelphia, PA, June 25, 2025—The Barnes Foundation announces the eighth annual Barnes on the Block, in collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia, taking place on Sunday, July 13, 11 am–5 pm. Barnes on the Block with Mural Arts Philadelphia is presented by PNC Arts Alive.

An annual summer celebration, Barnes on the Block invites all to gather and enjoy a free day of art, community, and creativity. Taking place on the grounds of the Barnes, and adjacent streets that will be closed to vehicular traffic—the Parkway between 20th and 21st Streets, and 20th Street between the Parkway and Callowhill Street—this popular outdoor event features entertainment and activities for guests of all ages, including hands-on art making, music from local DJs, dance performances, local bites from food trucks and vendors including Darnel’s Cakes, Kona Ice, and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck, and a Barnes on the Block Beer Garden by Constellation Culinary Group.

“We are excited to announce the eighth annual Barnes on the Block and proud to be collaborating with our longtime partners at Mural Arts to bring this popular event to life,” says James Claiborne, Fleischner Family Deputy Director for Community Engagement. “A free day filled with creative fun for the whole family, Barnes on the Block has become a staple on Philly’s summer calendar. This year’s event celebrates the power of creativity to inspire and uplift communities and shines a spotlight on an incredible lineup of Philadelphia artists, makers, and performers, along with delicious food and beverage options from local vendors.”

“Barnes on the Block embodies the essence of what public art can do—bring people together, spark creativity, and foster a sense of belonging,” said Jane Golden, executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia. “Each year, this partnership allows us to create joyful, meaningful moments that connect art to community in powerful ways.”

This year’s event embraces Mural Arts’ 2025 theme, “The Place Where Art Meets Hope,” and celebrates the power of creativity to inspire and uplift communities. Throughout the day, guests can get creative—experiment with cochineal paint with artists LEMUS and Ivonne Pinto García, make a print with Second State Press, create a “Postcard from Provence” with Collage Philadelphia. Guests can also get a personalized poem from Marshall James Kavanaugh; learn, create, and play with Smith Memorial Playground; and contribute to a community mural led by Mural Arts Philadelphia and a group sculpture with the Clay Studio’s Claymobile.

Throughout the day, local DJs and performers will bring the vibrant sounds of Philadelphia to the Parkway: DJ Nash, Canpatlaneci, Batala Philly, Mutya Philippine Dance Company, The Philadelphia Suns, and DJ sets & breakdancing with TAMEARTZ.

Starting at 11 am, guests also enjoy free admission to the Main Gallery and second-floor galleries of the Barnes collection; the new exhibition From Paris to Provence: French Painting at the Barnes, featuring a selection of renowned canvases from the first floor of the Barnes collection; and Where I'm From, an exhibition of original artwork created by participants in Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Rec Crew program and artists at SCI Phoenix, southeast Pennsylvania’s maximum-security prison for men, on view in the second-floor classroom of the Collection Gallery. Registration is required for gallery access, and capacity is limited. Free tickets for timed admission will be available online beginning at 10 am on Thursday, July 10. Additional information is available on the website.

The full lineup of activities is available on our website, with highlights listed below:

  • Barnes on the Block Beer Garden by Constellation Culinary Group will serve local beers, wine, cocktails, and mocktails, including seasonal brews from Philadelphia-based Victory Brewing Company; Surfside Vodka Iced Tea and Lemonade; a selection of French wines and homemade juice refreshers. The beer garden will be located on the Parkway between 20th and 21st streets.
    • Beers from Victory Brewing Company will include:
      • Brotherly Love IPA
      • Summer Love
      • Peach Pier

From noon to 5 pm, performances will include local DJs and performers bringing the vibrant sounds of Philadelphia to the Parkway:

Please note: Barnes on the Block will take place rain or shine, moving indoors in the event of inclement weather.

SPONSOR

Barnes on the Block with Mural Arts Philadelphia is presented by PNC Arts Alive

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 Foundation 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 was deeply interested in African American culture and 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 Foundation 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 Foundation 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. For over 40 years, 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.” For more information, call 215.685.0750 or visit muralarts.org.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Barnes Foundation: Deirdre Maher, Director of Communications

215.278.7160, press@barnesfoundation.org

Online press office: https://www.barnesfoundation.org/press

Mural Arts Philadelphia: Frank Luzi, Luzi Media
215.779.7614 / frank@luzi.media