OUR MISSION
Painted Bride is an artist-driven organization committed to the conception, development, and presentation of socially resonant work—supporting the creative process with respect, integrity, and care.

OUR VISION
We envision a world where art leads the way toward more just, joyful, and connected communities—where cultural work is not confined to institutions, but embedded in everyday life.

At the Painted Bride Art Center, creativity and collaboration are at the heart of a thriving civic life.

We aim to:

• Strengthen the role of art in shaping more connected, equitable, and imaginative communities.
• Support programs that reflect shared voices, respond to local needs, and inspire collective action.

We believe:

• Art becomes a powerful tool for public connection, cultural storytelling, and social change when artists and communities work together.
• This vision requires inclusive platforms, accessible spaces, and partnerships that extend beyond the arts sector.

To bring this vision to life:

• We are building a financially strong and adaptive organization, rooted in our core values and a long-term commitment to impact.
• We’re not just surviving—we’re thriving for the next generation, with creativity and care at the center.

Our new home in West Philadelphia reflects this vision:

• A welcoming space where artists, neighbors, and ideas come together—not just to witness art, but to make it, shape it, and share it.

OUR VALUES

Access & Equity
We center artists, audiences, and communities historically excluded from traditional arts spaces. This guides how we:

• Build partnerships
• Design programs
• Create inclusive environments

We uphold the right to create, share, and experience art on one’s own terms—and actively work to remove barriers that limit full participation.

Imagination
We celebrate risk-taking, innovation, and the creative process in all its forms. Imagination is a radical force that allows us to:

• Question
• Experiment
• Reimagine what’s possible

At the Bride, we champion process-based creation and invite others into the act of dreaming differently.

Community
We build partnerships rooted in trust, respect, and shared purpose. Community is:

• Our foundation
• Our future

We co-create responsive work across neighborhoods, cultures, and generations—with, not just for, the communities we serve.

Resilience
We adapt, respond, and evolve—always led by values, never by trend. For 50+ years, the Bride has embraced change as a natural part of creative life. Grounded in relationships, we face shifting realities with:

• Clarity
• Courage
• Purpose

Transformation
We use art to spark:

• Renewal
• Healing
• New ways of seeing and engaging with the world

By supporting artists who open space for reflection, and inviting communities into that journey, we foster growth and collective possibility as an ongoing practice, not a final goal.