A celebration of Philly’s vibrant art scene, right where it belongs – in the public for everyone to enjoy!

Welcome to DVAA on the Streets, a new program featuring prints of amazing work by local artist members of Da Vinci Art Alliance, displayed on electric poles around the city. It’s a celebration of Philly’s vibrant art scene, right where it belongs – in the public for everyone to enjoy!

You may already know that Philly has one of the largest public art collections in the world, but did you also know that Philly is the birthplace of graffiti? Our legacy is one full of spray paint, stickers, and wheat paste originating in the 60s with Cornbread to our current lord and savior, Dobler and the rest of the artists who use our city as a canvas. 

Although we live in a time where Philadelphia celebrates street artists in places like Tattooed Mom and Jinxed Furniture, that wasn’t always the case (and still isn’t for many marginalized people).

In the 90s, Philadelphia called in the National Guard to take a militarized stance against graffiti artists and implemented high fines and prison time for artists. While there are many reasons for this, one that stands out is reflected in "The War on Graffiti is a War on the New Class," which states: “No one talks about the reality of life for graffiti artists- that they have no recreational facilities, no public spaces, very little prospects for employment, and little access to education.

Instead, they talk about how to best put them in jail. The War on Graffiti is estimated to cost 7 billion dollars a year nationwide. No one talks about how we could spend that money in our own interests.” Thirty years later, we’re in a similar situation in areas around Philly, focusing our attention on culture wars instead of coming together towards solutions and investing in community-led resilience.

Now, we may not have the solution for our militarized state, inflation, or the growing lack of third spaces in the city, but we do believe in using public space for the public.

With "DVAA on the Streets," art and the messages contained within each piece are accessible to all.

These prints are here to brighten your daily routine, whether you’re commuting, walking your dog, or grabbing coffee. Each piece tells a story, reflecting the diverse visions of your neighbors. By putting art in public spaces, we aim to highlight the voices of our artist network, connect with our larger cultural community, and offer an opportunity to join our third space and connect to other people who are interested in using art to build community. Together, let's turn every day into a celebration of Philly's creative spirit.

Featured DVAA Artists and Members

Ash Fritzsche, Derek Ayres, Eddy Rhenals, Eleanor Barba, Jake Weiss, Lara Bros, Lucy Shaiken, Meg Wolensky, Nasir Young, Neill Catangay, Olivia Guarnieri, Steven Lee Climer, THECOLORG

SOURCES

HISTORY OF GRAFFITI Pt 1

The War on Graffiti is a War on The New Class

SHOP DVAA ON THE STREETS

About Da Vinci Art Alliance Founded in 1931, DVAA is a South Philly-based intergenerational artist collaborative that supports and connects people through exhibitions, equitable opportunities, and free creative programming. Art provides essential cross-cultural means for understanding the value diversity brings to our communities. DVAA provides tools for looking, listening, and imagining visions to create bridges over the barriers of difference between people.