ArtPhilly Presents “What Now: 2026”
The five-week city-wide festival will feature over 30 newly-commissioned works created by Philadelphia artists to spark important conversations about the future of the United States.
ArtPhilly is excited to announce the inaugural edition of its festival, scheduled to open on May 27, 2026, to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. Titled What Now: 2026, the five-week city wide festival will feature over 30 projects created by and with local artists, each carefully selected by ArtPhilly’s curatorial committee to deepen the artistic heart and soul of Philadelphia and to spark important conversations about the future of the nation. Emphasizing the city’s status as a vibrant home for artists of all backgrounds and disciplines, the festival will also reaffirm the importance of creativity and community as central to the character of Philadelphia.
Founded by Katherine Sachs and helmed by Creative and Executive Director Bill Adair, ArtPhilly will celebrate Philadelphia’s artists and communities while also exploring the city’s rich history and cultural legacy.
With a diverse and multi-disciplinary slate of projects thoughtfully curated for institutions and public spaces alike, the festival will invite the participation of people from all walks of life in ways that are challenging and surprising, intimate and inclusive. In festival districts around the city, ArtPhilly will stage works and performances at a variety of venues and spaces, underscoring the creative possibility and communal spirit that exists throughout Philadelphia. Emerging and established artists alike will be part of an expansive curatorial program featuring performances, installations, podcasts and more.
Led by Curatorial and Deputy Director Tania Isaac, ArtPhilly’s curatorial committee—comprised of 17 curators based in and around Philadelphia—have commissioned many of these projects from artists based in Philadelphia or who once called it home, capturing both the regional depth and international character of the city itself. Alongside its mission to highlight Philadelphia as a globally recognized destination for arts and culture, ArtPhilly will demonstrate that artists remain the most astute and incisive interpreters of our time.
By commissioning artists to interpret the complexities of the country's 250th anniversary and then amplifying those works through widespread programming across the city, What Now: 2026 will place artists, neighborhoods and arts organizations at the center of an urgent conversation about the past, present and—most importantly —the future of this country.
To learn more, visit artphilly.org.
