Printmaking by the People Celebrates America's 250th Birthday

Community art project in Philadelphia creates mural inspired by the Declaration of Independence.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Printmaking by the People, led by Mural Arts Philadelphia, is the city's largest community art project in 2026 as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary. The project invited over 1,000 Philadelphians to create 500 prints expressing their vision for the Declaration of Independence today and their hopes for the future. The prints will be translated into a mural to be installed near Independence Day, and 200 of the prints will also be featured in a free exhibition.

Why it matters

As the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia is using this community art project to give voice to its residents and capture the city's perspective on the country's founding principles and vision for the future. The mural and exhibition aim to reflect the diversity of the city and engage the public in a dialogue about American ideals.

The details

Printmaking by the People is led by muralist Phillip Adams and printmaker Rhonda Babb, who are working to transform the hundreds of individual prints into a cohesive mural. The project hosted printmaking workshops around the city, inviting participants to respond to two questions: What would the Declaration of Independence say today, and what is today's vision of "the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"? The resulting prints showcase a range of artistic styles and perspectives from the Philadelphia community.

  • Printmaking workshops were held around Philadelphia in 2024 and 2025.
  • The mural installation will begin over the summer, near the Fourth of July 2026.
  • The free exhibition of 200 prints will open at the Parkway Central Library on April 16, 2026.

The players

Mural Arts Philadelphia

The organization leading the Printmaking by the People community art project in Philadelphia.

Phillip Adams

A muralist working alongside Rhonda Babb to transform the individual prints into a cohesive mural.

Rhonda Babb

A printmaker working with Phillip Adams on the Printmaking by the People mural project.

Lindsey Rosenberg

A Mural Arts Public Project Specialist who describes the project as a "postcard to the country" reflecting Philadelphia's perspective.

Todd Bressi

A Mural Arts Public Art Project Specialist who says the project allows "the voice of the people to shine through."

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What they’re saying

“From collage to stamps to monotypes to linocuts, all of it, you realize how accessible something so simple could be.”

— Phillip Adams, Muralist (CBS News Philadelphia)

“This is the hand of so many different people expressing what they want to see and what they believe.”

— Phillip Adams, Muralist (CBS News Philadelphia)

“I like to think of it as like a postcard to the country — of how we're feeling right now in this moment in history and what we're looking forward, going forward.”

— Lindsey Rosenberg, Mural Arts Public Project Specialist (CBS News Philadelphia)

“It's really something that allows for the voice of the people to shine through.”

— Todd Bressi, Mural Arts Public Art Project Specialist (CBS News Philadelphia)

What’s next

The mural installation will begin over the summer, near the Fourth of July 2026, and the free exhibition of 200 prints will open at the Parkway Central Library on April 16, 2026.

The takeaway

Printmaking by the People is a powerful community art project that gives Philadelphians a voice in reflecting on the country's founding principles and envisioning its future. By translating hundreds of individual prints into a cohesive mural, the project aims to capture the diversity of perspectives within the city and engage the public in a dialogue about American ideals.