Society

How to have a perfect Philly Day, according to Mural Arts founder Jane Golden

Jun 13, 2026 #Art, #Environment

For Jane Golden, founder and executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, city life is like a large quilt.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>Every time Golden steps outside her home in Spring Garden, she’s reminded of its impact and grandeur. “I pay attention to all the stories our city has to tell, and the way art can help us see each other differently,” she said.

Golden will be moving into less familiar terrain.

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Fairmount resident is stepping down as executive director. The search for her successor begins this fall.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>“I can’t help myself,” she joked.

Chinatown, and checks out new exhibitions sprawled throughout the city.

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a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>Sometimes I sleep until 7 a.m., but that’s a luxury. My cat Bella is one of the reasons I get up so early. She will take her paw, and go up and down on the blinds in my bedroom to get me up, or purr really loudly by my head. That’s better than an alarm.

Philadelphia Museum of Art. I like to push myself, so I walk up the Rocky Steps and around the museum because I think it’s really pretty. Then I come back down by the Rodin Museum, and then we go to Twisted Grounds for coffee and a pastry because I have a sweet tooth.

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FloatLab is at 56th Street, and if anybody is standing around, I tell them it’s there. And if we are energized, we will kayak. I’m always a little bit like the caboose, but he’s a good kayaker.

Frieda in Old City. I like Frieda because there are artists’ events there, and there’s always really interesting art on display. It’s good food, but also a delightful environment.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>There’s a new mural going up right next to Elfreth’s Alley by an artist named Sean Martorana. And I can’t help but visit Paradigm Gallery + Studio. I love the artists they show like Nazeer Sabree, Eustace Mamba, and there was even a Cornbread exhibition.

Fishtown. There’s a new mural I have to see by Miriam Singer on the side of Mural City Cellars. They are great partners of Mural Arts. Then I’m going to walk over to 25 Oxford Street to see the new Matthew Henning mural because that’s fantastic. It’s joyful and captures the spirit of Fishtown.

Kah Yangni.

“Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments” exhibition. I will zip through it because I’ve seen it a few times, but I want to see it a few more times before it goes away.

SCI Graterford closed, we weren’t able to recreate it at SCI Phoenix because it’s a very different prison. So, we had the men recreate it, and now it’s on display at PMA with all their names listed, which is great. I look at that and get really inspired.

a]:text-blue-mid [&>a]:no-underline [&>a]:hover:shadow-lightmode px-4 font-medium”>Then, I’m going by the Free Library of Philadelphia to look at the big banners.

Fabric Workshop and Museum. I think it’s a gem in our city. I’m going to see the exhibit Elegy Quilts by Jesse Krimes, and then I’ll go see other exhibits, too.