It is with great sadness that we share news of the recent passing of Cathy Hopkins, a highly accomplished sculptor and beloved member of Fleisher’s faculty since 1977.⁠ ⁠ For over four decades, Cathy supported and mentored many aspiring artists at Fleisher, also teaching at the Wayne Art Center and Perkins Center for the Arts. ⁠ ⁠ Trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, she worked in a variety of materials including bronze, clay, and polyester resin – her prolific output included everything from large sculptures for public commissions to commemorative coins for the Franklin Mint ..read more

Fleisher Art Memorial is pleased to present their 2024 Wind Challenge Exhibition Series with a trio of shows featuring the work of nine contemporary artists from the region. The first exhibition in the series, on view from February 13 through March 9 in Fleisher’s Dene M. Louchheim Galleries, showcases the work of Kim Altomare, Natessa Amin, and Lauren Pakradooni. A second exhibition featuring the work of Joseph Lazaro Rodriguez, Erik Ruin, and Sean M. Starowitz will follow from April 2 to 27, with the third and final installment of the 2024 series running through the month of July with works ..read more

For well over two decades now, Fleisher has been hosting our Print Love-In – an all-ages celebration of printmaking and the joys of hand-printed valentines. How did it all begin? The tradition dates back the late 90’s with an idea put into motion by Philagrafika, a local organization which sought to heighten visibility for the art of print. In 2000, Philagrafika approached Thora Jacobson, Fleisher’s executive director at the time, about taking on the event. As luck or fate would have it, it was faculty member Elaine Erne who would play a key part in running with the opportunity – little did sh ..read more

Dear Fleisher Community – Cheers to a happy new year from your friends, colleagues and mentors in South Philadelphia. We’ve missed you all these last few weeks as we took a break to renew and reconsider and rest at the end of 2023. The beginning of a new year represents a time to recommit to what we hold most dear, to the core values that make us who we are. It’s also my one-year anniversary leading this remarkable organization. As we begin our 126th year, I am struck by how passionate our community is, passionate about art and education, about equity and justice, and about building a world ev ..read more

Fleisher Art Memorial will honor Brandywine Workshop and Archives founder Allan Edmunds, hip-hop artist and The Roots co-founder Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, and Pulitzer-prize winning editorial cartoonist Signe Wilkinson with their 33rd annual Founder’s Award this year, recognizing each individual’s commitment to providing access to the arts, promoting excellence in creative expression, and enriching Philadelphia’s cultural resources. The ceremony is part of a yearlong celebration of Fleisher’s 125th anniversary; October programming will also feature the opening of an exhibition featuring t ..read more

In 1916, Fleisher Art Memorial, then the Graphic Sketch Club, moved into 713-715 Catharine Street after previously occupying several other buildings in the Queen Village and Bella Vista neighborhoods. The building previously had been Saint Martin’s College for Indigent Boys, a school created to educate young men in need and supported by the adjacent Church of the Evangelist.  Today, Fleisher Art Memorial is comprised of an eclectic mix of historic buildings located on the same urban block. Over the years, the campus has expanded to include the former Romanesque Revival church, a series of ..read more

La Ofrenda 2023: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire You can’t speak of Day of the Dead without referencing la ofrenda, the altar of offerings to honor the deceased. That’s because la ofrenda is the heart and soul of this tradition and the reason why, year after year, we come together at Fleisher Art Memorial to build a community altar. The collective love for our dearly departed manifests itself in this display of joyful and sentimental commemoration. The annual Día de los Muertos Celebration at Fleisher Art Memorial has long been guided by the vision of a solo guest artist. For our 2023 celebration ..read more

“Schools began with a man under a tree who did not know he was a teacher, sharing his realization with a few others who did not know they were students.” – Louis Kahn During the 1980s and 1990s, the Fairmount Park Art Association (now the Association for Public Art) organized a series of benchmark programs with lasting influence on contemporary public art practice. These programs explored links between public art and various disciplines—including architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning—and investigated the pivotal role that public art can play in the design of cities and publi ..read more

PHILADELPHIA, May 26, 2023—Fleisher Art Memorial (FAM) is observing its 125th birthday this year, marking the occasion with a series of onsite and satellite events including a daylong celebration in early June as well as a two-day Founder’s Weekend in September. The celebration comes on Saturday, June 3rd, also serving as a fundraiser for Fleisher Art Memorial’s future. During the daytime, FAM will host a free block party from 11 am–3 pm on the 700 block of Catharine Street to showcase its creative community. The event will feature family-friendly activities led by local artists, Fleisher staf ..read more