Printmaking by the People
Mural Arts Philadelphia asked more than a thousand Philadelphians what they would say if the Declaration of Independence were rewritten today — and to convey their message in a handmade print. This poster, by printmaker Rhonda Babb, distills those ideas into a powerful message that Philadelphia is sending to the world in 2026. This three year long project, which involved three dozen community workshops, and exhibition at the Free Library of Philadelphia, pop-up installations and a mural, was conceived and led by Bressi.
Date | 2023 -
Client | Mural Arts Philadelphia
Collaborators | Lindsey Rosenberg, Rhonda Babb, Suzanna Urminska
Printmaking by the People –Mural Art’s signature community engagement project commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 – is connecting people in communities across Philadelphia in a citywide dialogue about how the Declaration might be re-imagined today. By coupling these conversations with hands-on printmaking activities, the project is reimagining printmaking’s historic role as a means of disseminating debates about the movement for independence.
Over the course of two years, more than 1,000 people participated in this project through workshops that were led by artists and featured small-group dialogues and hands-on printing activities. Many of the workshops were at locations such as library branches, community centers and schools; we also organized “pop-up” versions in conjunction with events in key locations, such as community festivals.
The workshops featured discussions about the Declaration and its impact on our world today – how we have succeeded, what work remains to be done, and what our passions and commitments are for the future. Artists helped people design and print their own posters, conveying their own visions for the Declaration’s foundational idea of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
The posters are being exhibited at the Free Library’s Parkway Central location from April through August, 2026. They inspired a mural and poster design by printmaker Rhonda Babb that will appear in pop-up installations in late spring and a mural later in the year, delivering a message from Philadelphia to the rest of the world in this milestone year.
