Want to catch a Banksy work up close? You can - in Philly this week.
Rock The Vote, a 25-year-old nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging and driving the under-30 voter population, launches its Truth to Power campaign here in Philadelphia this week.
Truth To Power Series Fast Facts
- The event takes place from July 25-27.
- 15+ free panels and performances will take place designed to engage and empower young voters.
- Over 200 pieces of evocative art will be on display.
- High-profile policymakers will speak and a surprise musical guest will perform.
- The main event space is located at 990 Spring Garden Street and the closing concert is at The Fillmore Philadelphia.
Coinciding with the Democratic National Convention (DNC), the large-scale, pop-up art exhibition and event series addresses heavy-hitting topics through a three-day series of exhibitions, speaker panels and concerts.
All events are free to the public and feature art from notable names like Keith Haring, live music from top-notch artists and conversations with politicians such as Senator Cory Booker.
(Photo courtesy of Rock The Vote)
Truth To Power visitors can look forward to…
- An exhibit with work by Banksy, Shepard Fairey (shown here), Keith Haring, local Philadelphia artists and more
- Three days of panel discussions with leading politicians, artists and performers
- Two nights of free live concerts
Overview
Gearing up for the 2016 general election and paralleling the DNC, Rock The Vote launches its Truth to Power campaign in Philadelphia this week.
Not new to the political sphere, Rock The Vote is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has dedicated itself to increasing young voter participation for the past 25 years.
This year, the organization is targeting Millennials, using its newest campaign to drive a mission of registering an additional 2 million voters under the age of 30 by November.
Truth to Power features three packed days of panels and performances by notable artists, musicians and politicians. The events are bookended on each side with free opening and closing concerts to take place Monday and Wednesday evening.
Throughout the entirety of the event series, a large-scale art exhibition will remain open to the public, featuring over 200 pieces of evocative and empowering works of art.
Works by Banksy and Shepard Fairey will make an appearance in the exhibition and a six-story Keith Haring banner is currently displayed on the outside of the event space at 990 Spring Garden Street.
Visitors can come view the art, for free, from 11 a.m. to midnight on Monday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Panel discussions are set to address everything from gun violence to reproductive rights to the nation's minimum wage, with conversations led by individuals such Senator Cory Booker and Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jose Antonio Varga.
(Silk graffiti by Aubrie Costello | Photo courtesy the artist)
Events include:
- 25+ hours of panel discussions with speakers and politicians, including Senator Cory Booker
- An opening night concert with Andra Day, Philadelphia rapper Freeway and more
- A closing night concert with a special surprise performer
Exhibition and Event Highlights
Over 25 hours of panel discussions and conversations with notable policymakers, artists, youth activists, community leaders, young elected officials, journalists, spoken word poets and performers will unfold throughout the Truth to Power event series. The scheduled events kick off at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday and at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, running until6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each day.
Tonight, an opening night gallery concert will takeover the event space, featuring Philadelphia rapper Freeway, Andra Day, DJ Aktive and Jabair and Andre Power from the Soulection sound collective. The free but ticketed concert will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight. Those who wish to attend must RSVP, here.
On Tuesday, Senator Cory Booker opens the day of panel discussions with a conversation centered on criminal justice reform. Other experts in the field will come to weigh in on the topic, too, and answer questions from the audience.
A discussion on minimum wage follows the first Tuesday panel, and later in the day, Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams, among other politicians, will discuss the role that prosecutors play in transforming criminal justice.
Interjecting a bit of comedy into the event series, a morning Wednesday performance called “Laugh with your Conscience” by the Lady Parts Justice League will dive into subjects including sex, reproductive justice, gender equality and more. Wednesday night closes out with a panel on a topic that resonates with many young voters, student debt and how to end its growing impact.
Not to be missed, the entire Truth to Power series concludes with a closing night concert at The Fillmore Philadelphia. The exact time and surprise musical guest will be announced later this week. Visit the official Rock The Vote website to stay up-to-date on the latest announcements.
The post Free Rock-The-Vote Art Installation Featuring Banksy, Shepard Fairey & More Now Open appeared first on Uwishunu - Philadelphia Blog About Things to Do, Events, Restaurants, Food, Nightlife and More.
