Collective Futures

is a city-wide celebration of Philadelphia’s vibrant network of artist-run spaces, DIY venues, and community-driven art initiatives. Taking place over six weeks in fall 2026, the festival will showcase the creative power of collectivity through exhibitions, workshops, performances, and public programs that engage both local and national audiences.

Bringing together more than 25 independent spaces and organizations, Collective Futures highlights the vital role of grassroots initiatives in shaping civic dialogue, cultural innovation, and community resilience. With a focus on supporting underrepresented artists and amplifying local voices, the festival will activate neighborhoods across the city—including Kensington, North Chinatown, West Philly, Fishtown, and Old City—creating accessible, neighborhood-based cultural experiences.

Coinciding with the celebrations surrounding America’s 250th birthday, Collective Futures situates Philadelphia’s artist-run ecosystem within a broader national conversation about democracy, creativity, and collective care.

At its core, the project is a multifaceted exploration of collective practices, storytelling, and the intersections of art, community, and infrastructure. Rooted in collaboration and experimentation, it seeks to amplify diverse perspectives while fostering connections between local and national networks. Through exhibitions, publications, and public programs, Collective Futures investigates the inner workings, histories, and creative processes of collectives—centering storytelling as a tool for cultural preservation and expression. Using oral histories, printmaking, and site-specific artworks, the festival will illuminate the interplay between artists, communities, and their environments.

By combining critical reflection with artistic production, Collective Futures aims to create a blueprint for equitable and sustainable collaboration—reimagining how art can mobilize resources, deepen connections, and envision transformative futures.

Collective Futures

is:

Common Proof

Second State Press

Second State Press will host Common Proof, a collaborative residency centering printmaking, dialogue, and shared authorship

The project will invite an artist collective to lead a series of participatory workshops, offer a public artist talk, and will culminate in the production of a printed edition or publication created in collaboration with participants and published with the SSP team. By centering process over product and collaboration over hierarchy, this project reimagines the artist residency as a site of mutual learning and collective authorship.

Founded in 2010 and located in the Crane Arts Building, Second State Press is a nonprofit 501(c)3 community printmaking studio whose mission is to foster the development of ideas and innovation in printmaking by providing our neighborhood with a professional, affordable, and supportive workspace.

SSP advances the growth of a sustainable printmaking community by offering professional facilities through membership, affordable communal workspace for emerging and mid-career artists, community arts programming and professional development opportunities.