ArtPhilly is excited to announce the inaugural edition of its festival, scheduled to open on May 27, 2026, to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. Titled What Now: 2026, the five-week citywide festival will feature over 30 projects created by and with local artists, each carefully selected by ArtPhilly’s curatorial committee to deepen the artistic heart and soul of Philadelphia and to spark important conversations about the future of the nation. Emphasizing the city’s status as a vibrant home for artists of all backgrounds and disciplines, the festival will also reaffirm the importance of creativity and community as central to the character of Philadelphia.
Founded by Katherine Sachs and helmed by Creative and Executive Director Bill Adair, ArtPhilly will celebrate Philadelphia’s artists and communities while also exploring the city’s rich history and cultural legacy. With a diverse and multi-disciplinary slate of projects thoughtfully curated for institutions and public spaces alike, the festival will invite the participation of people from all walks of life in ways that are challenging and surprising, intimate and inclusive. According to Adair, “Through dozens of artists’ commissions and many partnerships with Philly’s endlessly creative arts organizations, What Now: 2026 will delight, surprise, ask hard questions and illuminate this moment in our country’s history.”
Alongside its mission to highlight Philadelphia as a globally recognized destination for arts and culture, ArtPhilly will demonstrate that artists remain the most astute and incisive interpreters of our time.
“For so much of its history Philadelphia has been at the forefront of art and culture in the United States and we think ArtPhilly—specifically What Now: 2026—can meaningfully add to this legacy,” said Katherine Sachs, founder of ArtPhilly and longtime cultural and philanthropic leader. “By spotlighting the incredible artists and vital communities of our city, we hope that ArtPhilly reminds people how exciting and dynamic Philadelphia has been and continues to be."
In festival districts around the city, ArtPhilly will stage works and performances at a variety of venues and spaces, underscoring the creative possibility and communal spirit that exists throughout Philadelphia. Emerging and established artists alike will be part of an expansive curatorial program featuring performances, installations, podcasts and more. Led by Curatorial and Deputy Director Tania Isaac, ArtPhilly’s curatorial committee—comprised of 17 curators based in and around Philadelphia—have commissioned many of these projects by artists based in Philadelphia and from those who once called it home, capturing both the regional depth and international character of the city itself.
“ArtPhilly is part of a chapter in the cultural history of Philadelphia that celebrates the substance and depth of artistic production that has always existed here,” said Tania Isaac. “The diversity of artists and the wide variety of projects that have been selected for What Now: 2026 reflects the character of the city itself, one deeply tied to its regional history while at the same time being a truly international center for cultural exchange and cross-pollination.”
What Now: 2026 weaves together the legacies of history and art that have been central to Philadelphia’s identity since its beginning. By commissioning artists to interpret the complexities of the country's 250th anniversary and then amplifying those works through widespread programming across the city, the festival will place artists, neighborhoods and arts organizations at the center of an urgent conversation about the past, present and—most importantly—the future of this country.
Get your tickets at artphilly.org/what-now.
Sponsored content created in partnership with ArtPhilly
