Radical Americana will be a series of exhibitions organized by a consortium of Philadelphia’s extensive collection of arts and cultural institutions celebrating how today’s artists are continuing the city’s unique and rich legacy as a center for creativity and civic engagement.

We ask artists to explore the influential historical year of 1776, and the subsequent commemorations in Philadelphia in the years 1876, 1926, and 1976.

• The Clay Studio
• ArtPhilly
• Asian Arts Initiative
• Craft NOW Philadelphia
• Past Present Projects
• The Museum of Art in Wood
• William Way LGBT Community Center
• The Colored Girl Museum
• InLiquid
• Cliveden
• The Print Center
• Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum
• Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
• Historical Society of Pennsylvania
• Stenton Museum
• Curators at The Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Sarah Archer
• Glen Foerd
• Dina Wind Art Foundation
• Taller Puertorriqueño
• The Fabric Workshop and Museum

…

Begun in 2018 and completed in 2020, John Paul Morabito unveils their series of religious tapestries with a subtle but explicit intervention, cloaking 15th- and 16th-century Renaissance paintings of Madonna and Child in flamboyant colors of drag—a Queer allegory turning sacred to Camp.

Morabito remediates devotional paintings by artists such as DaVinci and Botticelli with accentuated day-glow colors and a stigmata presentation shimmering with gold beaded fringe.

…

Join us for TRANSFORMATION, the Starworks Benefit & Auction.

Assist in creating a new installation with renowned artist Therman Statom, enjoy a catered luncheon with live jazz, and meet guest artists.

The highlight: the Maker’s Dozen Auction featuring 13 curated works including works by Sergei Isupov, Janina Myronowa, Juana Gomez Ramirez, Cedric Mitchell, Paul Stankard, and others.

Proceeds support Starworks, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Saturday, October 25

11am-3pm

…

Curated by Colette Gaiter, this exhibition offers a broad view of artists’ books by Black artists, combining words, images, and materials in both traditional and experimental ways. Some works share personal stories, others explore history and identity. These books challenge narrow views, honor past creators, and invite reflection on Black experiences—expanding the boundaries of book art through powerful and creative expression.

…

Pratt Fine Arts Center, founded in Seattle’s Central District and named for civil rights leader Edwin T. Pratt, has been a creative hub for 50 years. Offering year-round, affordable classes and studios, Pratt supports artists of all ages and skill levels. Disciplines include glass, sculpture, jewelry, paper, and 2D media. This exhibition features work by Pratt students, instructors, board members, and staff, reflecting the center’s vibrant and inclusive arts community.

…

Guest curators Robin Little Wing Sigo (Suquamish) and Miranda Belarde-Lewis (Zuni/Tlingit) present a survey of Indigenous craft artists from the Salish Sea region, spanning Washington and British Columbia.

Featuring both traditional and contemporary works, media include regalia, textiles, carving, ceramics, glass, and jewelry.

This marks BIMA’s fourth major Indigenous exhibition—an inspiring celebration of cultural knowledge, innovation, and living tradition.

…

The Puget Sound region offers rich resources for craft artists.

This group exhibition features nominees from over 20 craft-based programs and organizations, including Pilchuck Glass School, Pratt Fine Arts Center, NAAM, Wing Luke Museum, Seattle Metals Guild, House of Welcome, Schack Art Center, BARN, Port Townsend School of the Arts, Northwest Designer Craftartists, and Hilltop Glass Program.

The show highlights emerging talent and challenges traditional craft boundaries.

…

The Cynthia Sears Artists’ Books Collection includes many examples of textile-based artworks. The include works made from cloth or books embellished with forms of stitching, embroidery, and mixed-media.

This group exhibition will include borrowed works as well as some commissioned to further expand BIMA’s collection in this area.

…

Aimee Lee (Ohio) is an artist, writer, and leading advocate for Korean papermaking.

Her Fulbright research led to founding North America’s first hanji studio and writing Hanji Unfurled. A second Fulbright deepened her work with Korean papermaking masters.

Lee trains the next generation in her studio near Cleveland and worldwide.

This solo exhibition features works from the Cynthia Sears Artists’ Books Collection and additional pieces by this internationally recognized artist.

…

This retrospective, Deeply Rooted, celebrates the legacy of George and David Lewis—formerly Little and Lewis—whose garden designs and sculptures reflect decades of love and creativity.

After moving to Bainbridge Island in the 1980s, their shared passion for art, ruins, gardens, and water features grew into a thriving, well-documented career and community presence that left a lasting impact on Bainbridge Island and beyond.

…

The Huntington Harbor Art Association and Huntington Beach Art Center have come together to highlight these local artists in The Magic of Color, Fiber and Form.

On display early 2026, dates TBD.

…

Silver River Center for Chair Caning is making a big comeback in 2026!

Join us for an open house at our new location in Weaverville, NC. Saturday January 18, 2026 from 12-4pm.

We will be celebrating our new instructional book, The Woven Chair, and geeking out in our museum which is finally unpacked after a devastating flood in Fall 2024.

We will be launching community classes each month on a sliding scale to celebrate. 

…

American Craft Fest is the summer’s best opportunity to discover craft from across the region.

Participate in fun hands-on activities for all ages led by local arts partners, shop handmade work by early career artists, and enjoy food and beverages from local vendors.

…

Linking heritage, history, and handcraft, this exhibition combines various forms of papercutting.

Through large and small-scale works, contemporary artists such as Kanako Abe, Lucrezia Bieler, Hannah Kohl, Sonja Peterson, Michael Velliquette, Janelle Washington, and Sam Wrobel expand upon tradition while hobbyist paper crafters add their voices to rich creative lineages. Additionally, Myra Su will perform shadow puppet theater throughout the run of the show.

…

There is a continuum where beauty and function blend and diverge in the hands of the contemporary artist.

Even when traditional materials such as thread, fabric, wood, reed, and paper are used, these artists combine skill, imagination, and vision to meld their materials into compelling and beautiful art which resonates in today’s world.

Artists were invited to participate in this conversation between media to illustrate the continuum between beauty and functionality.

…