Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network
Encyclopedia
The Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network (PAGN) was founded in January 1984 by former Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Goode. The original goal of the program was to combat the spread of graffiti
in the Philadelphia area and was led by Tim Spencer. In 1986 another program began within PAGN, named The Mural Arts Project
(MAP), and headed by artist Jane Golden
. Through the success of both programs in 1991 the city of Philadelphia was awarded the Innovations in American Government Award due to the progress PAGN and MAP had made in the surrounding communities. In 1996 the success of MAP was noted and split off into a separate program and placed under the umbrella of the Philadelphia Recreation Department. From the founding of these programs over 2,500 mural
s have been created across the city and over 40,000 walls cleaned of graffiti. The Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network currently consists of three programs; Mural Arts Program, Paint Voucher Program, and the Graffiti Abatement Team.
urban outreach project in the seventies. The program helped to create murals around Philadelphia to cover up the graffiti-covered buildings. The museum's program ended in 1983, a year prior to the beginning (COAST) of the PAGN, which like its predecessor attempted to use murals to curb the rising graffiti problem.
While closely related to the Philadelphia Museum of Art's urban outreach project, the PAGN encompassed a larger goal with similar priorities. The program was originally created during a citywide crackdown on graffiti and accompanied other antigraffiti regulations and increases in penalties. Selling of spray paints
to minors was prohibited as well as displaying unlocked cans of paint in stores, the latter to curb the common practice of shoplifting
paints. Included with the increased penalties also came alternative forms of punishment such as forcing graffiti writers to clean graffiti as a form of community service
and an amnesty program for identified "taggers" who signed pledges promising not to vandalize property
anymore. The amnesty program accumulated over a thousand signatures between 1984 and 1991. Those found guilty of vandalism also had another option: apprenticeship
in the PAGN program. The apprenticeship focused on taking the creative energy of the graffiti artists (BERN) and helping them gain guidance from already established professional artists.
In 1996, the PAGN program was merged into the Philadelphia Recreation Department and MAP was elevated as an independent entity. From the MAP program came the Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates, a not for profit corporation for raising funds for the MAP programs. While 1996 marked a greater position for MAP it also was the year the PAGN founder, Tim Spencer, died. The roots of MAP was in a meeting with Jane Golden and Spencer in 1984 in which she asked to run a program within PAGN. Spencer originally envisioned a program that would move kids more towards other arts and crafts, however Golden envisioned what is now the MAP program.
, Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, the Graffiti Abatement Team cleaned over 385,000 walls.
. Golden had met the then head of the PAGN in hopes of creating a program under the umbrella project, however Spencer had originally envisioned a program that would take those caught away from graffiti and into other arts and crafts. Golden’s vision won out and the Mural Arts Program was created. The Mural Arts Program works with community groups
to educate and involve children in arts and in creation of murals throughout the city. The MAP also takes in prosecuted graffiti vandals at the rate of over 100 a year and involves them in the creation of many of the murals around Philadelphia. During the 2001–2004 Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, MAP had painted over 600 murals around Philadelphia.
, on behalf on the United States House of Representatives
.
The Mural Arts Program is responsible for the largest mural painted in Philadelphia at 600 feet (182.9 m) in length, titled "History of Immigration", the mural displays settler
s of different races who have settled in Philadelphia over time. The average mural painted by MAP is about the height of three-story row house and 35 feet (10.7 m) wide, approximate cost is 10–15 thousand dollars, which includes artist commission and supplies.
MAP is currently one of Philadelphia's largest employers of artists, employing over 3,000 artists a year. Currently MAP employs 36 former graffiti artists as staff members on permanent payroll and services over 300 children a year in their arts programs. In February 2006 the city of Watertown, NY
asked Jane Golden to speak in hopes of creating a similar program in their area.
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
in the Philadelphia area and was led by Tim Spencer. In 1986 another program began within PAGN, named The Mural Arts Project
Mural Arts Program
Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program was founded in 1984, as a sub division of the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network , led by Jane Golden. Prior to the Mural Arts Program operating as its own entity its roots were founded in a meeting between Spencer and Golden in 1984 where Golden asked to run a...
(MAP), and headed by artist Jane Golden
Jane Golden
Jane Golden founded the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia, PA in the early 1990s as the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network. She was also active in the mural renaissance in Los Angeles, CA in the 1980s.-References:******...
. Through the success of both programs in 1991 the city of Philadelphia was awarded the Innovations in American Government Award due to the progress PAGN and MAP had made in the surrounding communities. In 1996 the success of MAP was noted and split off into a separate program and placed under the umbrella of the Philadelphia Recreation Department. From the founding of these programs over 2,500 mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s have been created across the city and over 40,000 walls cleaned of graffiti. The Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network currently consists of three programs; Mural Arts Program, Paint Voucher Program, and the Graffiti Abatement Team.
History
A precursor is The Philadelphia Museum of Art'sPhiladelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
urban outreach project in the seventies. The program helped to create murals around Philadelphia to cover up the graffiti-covered buildings. The museum's program ended in 1983, a year prior to the beginning (COAST) of the PAGN, which like its predecessor attempted to use murals to curb the rising graffiti problem.
While closely related to the Philadelphia Museum of Art's urban outreach project, the PAGN encompassed a larger goal with similar priorities. The program was originally created during a citywide crackdown on graffiti and accompanied other antigraffiti regulations and increases in penalties. Selling of spray paints
Aerosol paint
Aerosol paint is a type of paint that comes in a sealed pressurized container and is released in a fine spray mist when depressing a valve button. A form of spray painting, aerosol paint leaves a smooth, evenly coated surface, unlike many rolled or brushed paints. Standard sized cans are portable,...
to minors was prohibited as well as displaying unlocked cans of paint in stores, the latter to curb the common practice of shoplifting
Shoplifting
Shoplifting is theft of goods from a retail establishment. It is one of the most common property crimes dealt with by police and courts....
paints. Included with the increased penalties also came alternative forms of punishment such as forcing graffiti writers to clean graffiti as a form of community service
Community service
Community service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
and an amnesty program for identified "taggers" who signed pledges promising not to vandalize property
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
anymore. The amnesty program accumulated over a thousand signatures between 1984 and 1991. Those found guilty of vandalism also had another option: apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
in the PAGN program. The apprenticeship focused on taking the creative energy of the graffiti artists (BERN) and helping them gain guidance from already established professional artists.
In 1996, the PAGN program was merged into the Philadelphia Recreation Department and MAP was elevated as an independent entity. From the MAP program came the Philadelphia Mural Arts Advocates, a not for profit corporation for raising funds for the MAP programs. While 1996 marked a greater position for MAP it also was the year the PAGN founder, Tim Spencer, died. The roots of MAP was in a meeting with Jane Golden and Spencer in 1984 in which she asked to run a program within PAGN. Spencer originally envisioned a program that would move kids more towards other arts and crafts, however Golden envisioned what is now the MAP program.
Graffiti Abatement Team
The Graffiti Abatement Team provides businesses, homeowners and community organizations with free painting and power-washing services in an effort to combat vandalism. The team on average handles up to 25 complaints related to graffiti a day and cleans upwards of 100,000 properties a year. Graffiti vandals who are apprehended and convicted are often given community service in the form of cleaning up graffiti around the city. Since its inception, over 3,000 graffiti artists have gone through the community service program under the supervision of the Graffiti Abatement Team. During the years of 2001-2004 under Mayor John F. Street'sJohn F. Street
John Franklin Street was the 97th Mayor of the City of Philadelphia. He was first elected to a term beginning on January 3, 2000, and was re-elected to a second term beginning in 2004...
, Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, the Graffiti Abatement Team cleaned over 385,000 walls.
Paint Voucher Program
The Paint Voucher Program allows businesses, community groups and homeowners to request free paint for the purpose of cleaning up graffiti on their own properties. The program is funded from the same $1.125 million anti-graffiti budget.Mural Arts Program
The Mural Arts Program was founded in 1984 by Jane GoldenJane Golden
Jane Golden founded the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia, PA in the early 1990s as the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network. She was also active in the mural renaissance in Los Angeles, CA in the 1980s.-References:******...
. Golden had met the then head of the PAGN in hopes of creating a program under the umbrella project, however Spencer had originally envisioned a program that would take those caught away from graffiti and into other arts and crafts. Golden’s vision won out and the Mural Arts Program was created. The Mural Arts Program works with community groups
Community organizing
Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community, allowing it to influence...
to educate and involve children in arts and in creation of murals throughout the city. The MAP also takes in prosecuted graffiti vandals at the rate of over 100 a year and involves them in the creation of many of the murals around Philadelphia. During the 2001–2004 Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, MAP had painted over 600 murals around Philadelphia.
Awards & recognition
It was in 1991 when the program received a milestone; not only in breaking the 1,000 mark for obtained amnesty pledges, but for also earning the 1991 Innovations in American Government Award for the city of Philadelphia for the manner in which PAGN is run. This was followed on February 1, 1994, with a tribute to PAGN for "10 years of changing attitudes and neighborhoods" by Lucien E. BlackwellLucien E. Blackwell
Lucien Edward Blackwell was a United States Congressman who represented West Philadelphia and parts of Delaware County, Pennsylvania from 1991 to 1995. He was a Democrat.-Early life:...
, on behalf on the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
The Mural Arts Program is responsible for the largest mural painted in Philadelphia at 600 feet (182.9 m) in length, titled "History of Immigration", the mural displays settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s of different races who have settled in Philadelphia over time. The average mural painted by MAP is about the height of three-story row house and 35 feet (10.7 m) wide, approximate cost is 10–15 thousand dollars, which includes artist commission and supplies.
MAP is currently one of Philadelphia's largest employers of artists, employing over 3,000 artists a year. Currently MAP employs 36 former graffiti artists as staff members on permanent payroll and services over 300 children a year in their arts programs. In February 2006 the city of Watertown, NY
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...
asked Jane Golden to speak in hopes of creating a similar program in their area.
See also
- Graffiti abatementGraffiti abatementGraffiti abatement is a joint effort between a given community, its Public Works division, Police Department, Community Development, and Parks, Recreation, and Community Services to eliminate graffiti vandalism...
- Fixing Broken WindowsFixing Broken WindowsThe broken windows theory is a criminological theory of the norm setting and signaling effect of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime and anti-social behavior...
- Graffiti in the United StatesGraffiti in the United StatesGraffiti in the United States has had an international influence especially from the examples in the New York City Subway and the Chicana/Chicano experience.-History:...