Why Aren’t Artists Transforming Mantua and Powelton the Way They Did Fishtown or Northern Liberties?
A surprisingly high concentration of established artists live in the Mantua, Powelton Village and West Powelton neighborhoods of West Philadelphia, according to a new study by a team of faculty and students from Drexel University. So why aren’t artists transforming those neighborhoods the way they did Fishtown or Northern Liberties? A number of reasons, according to the report, which outlines the challenges faced by artists and organizations in the area, including low public investment, the lack of a support network, a need for stronger connections between artists and the community and a lack of centralized communications efforts. The report also outlines proposed action steps to address these challenges.