Editing Mural Arts Program (section)

== Origins ==

The Mural Arts Program emerged from Philadelphia's anti-graffiti efforts in the 1980s. Graffiti had become a significant problem in the city, covering walls, transit vehicles, and public spaces. Traditional enforcement—arrests and cleanups—had proven expensive and ineffective; graffiti returned almost as fast as it was removed. The city's Anti-Graffiti Network, established in 1984, tried a different approach: engaging graffiti writers in creating legal murals that would transform their energy from vandalism to art. Jane Golden, a muralist who joined the program in 1984, became its driving force and eventually its longtime director.<ref name="weigley">{{cite book |last=Weigley |first=Russell F. |title=Philadelphia: A 300-Year History |year=1982 |publisher=W.W. Norton |location=New York}}</ref>

The early murals were modest: neighborhood decorations created by former graffiti writers learning to work on sanctioned projects. But the approach evolved. Golden and her colleagues developed community engagement methods that involved neighborhood residents in designing murals that reflected local identity and concerns. Artists of increasing skill and reputation joined projects. The scale and ambition grew. By the 1990s, the Mural Arts Program had moved beyond graffiti prevention to become a significant public art initiative, commissioning works that engaged with Philadelphia's history, social issues, and neighborhood character.<ref name="golden"/>