Allens Lane Art Center, a leader in Northwest Philadelphia's arts and culture landscape, has announced a new event series designed to strengthen its connection with the community and shape its future programming. The Story Circle series kicks off this week, as part of the center's Art Forward initiative. The series is aimed at gathering insights from local residents about their experiences with art and culture in Northwest Philadelphia.
Mechele Abraham-Avery, Program Director at Allens Lane, discussed the origins of the project with the Local. "The program really came from this desire to provide programming and services that are actually aligning with the needs of our northwest community," she said. The goal of the series is to provide community members a mode of self-expression and connection, as well as to give Allens Lane a roadmap for further programming.
Rounding up the circles
During the event, participants break up into small groups, led by facilitators from a Story Engagement (SET) Team. The SET Team is made up of community members trained to prompt participants to share stories of how they have engaged with art and culture, including what role creativity plays in their lives. Exercises include listening to other participants' stories, and theatrical improvisation accompanied by live percussion.
In particular, the Story Circles seek to curate evenings of connection among the diverse populations of Northwest Philadelphia.
"Having a mixed demographic of people participating to create this is really important," said Abraham-Avery. "We are making sure that [anyone] that may, for whatever reason, not have been a part of, not just Allens Lane, but a part of the art scene here in the northwest is given the opportunity to be a part of it."
Local businesses will provide food during Story Circles, including Melalani Cafe, High Point Cafe, Evos Pizza, Frios Gourmet Pops, Weavers Way Co-Op Grocer, and Salaam Cafe.
Art Forward is an ongoing, 18-month project at Allens Lane Art Center, led by the center's staff, as well as the Mt. Airy CDC and Just Act, LLC. Representatives from the groups formed together with residents of Mt. Airy and Germantown to make a Community Action Team to consult on the project. The project is receiving funding from the William Penn Foundation and PECO Powering the Arts.
The center began envisioning Art Forward in 2022 as a collaboration between Allens Lane and Lisa Jo Epstein of consulting group Just Act. Epstein, an arts educator and writer based in Germantown, specializes in civic action and social justice through the arts, founding Just Act in 2015.
Other programs throughout the season will include a summer art camp, the Mt. Airy Arts Festival on September 27th, and “Park Jams”: live music at Allens Lane Park, occurring every second Thursday through August. Future Story Circles will occur in various locations, including Unitarian Universalists of Mt. Airy, and Braid Mill in Germantown.
With the Story Circles, Allens Lane hopes to inspire a feeling of pride in Northwest Philadelphia's local arts and culture.
"It's really vital that we highlight these local stories," Abraham-Avery said. "We're hoping that this also restores the memory bank of why Northwest is this region where we have such a rich history that's always been supportive of the cultural arts, and really of each other."
The Story Circle kickoff was held in the theater space at Allens Lane Art Center on Wednesday, May 21st.
"Art Forward Story Circles: Share Your Story!" will occur through June at various locations in Northwest Philadelphia: 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, at Allens Lane Art Center, 601 W. Allens Ln.; 6 p.m. on Monday, June 9, at Unitarian Universalists of Mt. Airy, 6900 Stenton Ave.; 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17, at Braid Mill, 441 High St.; noon on Tuesday, June 24 at Center in the Park, 5818 Germantown Ave. Food is provided. Admission is free with RSVP. For more information, visit allenslane.org.
