ArtPhilly, an organization aiming to amplify Philadelphia as a major destination for arts and culture, is wrapping up its citywide, multidisciplinary festival called “What Now: 2026” — and several of the final performances and events will occur in the Northwest.
Since May 27, this inaugural festival has brought artists and organizations from around the city together to explore who we are as a nation, where we’re headed, and how we envision our future together. “What Now,” which ends on July 2, includes more than 30 original commissioned projects.
According to Tania Isaac, curatorial and deputy director at ArtPhilly, the idea for the festival started “at least five years ago.”
“Kathy Sachs and Bill Adair [founder and executive director of ArtPhilly, respectively], realized that for the 250th [anniversary of the country], there was not a clear focus on arts and culture,” Isaac said. “They felt like the city really deserved to have a spotlight on the artists who are living and working here.”
In the closing days of the festival, four events are coming to Northwest Philadelphia.
Sound of History
June 25, 6 p.m., Awbury Arboretum. Free
In this performance, two local musicians — Laurin Talese and Zeek Burse — will seek to answer the question: What does the Revolution sound like 250 years later? Their works are inspired by residencies at the Museum of the American Revolution, where the artists attended meetings, explored the archives, and engaged in public programs.
According to Adrienne Whaley, director of education and community engagement at the Museum of the American Revolution, Talese and Burse are able to bring the past and present together through their works.
“Laurin and Zeek are bringing a humanity to people from the past that flushes them out and helps to make them and their decision-making real again,” Whaley said. “It helps to bring to life the conundra that they faced in the past.”
Burse said an overarching theme in his project is optimism about the future of America, a country that is still striving for its ideals.
“This experiment of America and what it can be is still very much so developing,” Burse said. “I don’t think the Revolution is over. I think it’s something that we’re going to have to constantly defend.”
Talese is hopeful that guests will be inspired by her work, which focuses on the lives of everyday people during the Revolution.
“I hope that through hearing about the lives of some of the figures that I’m highlighting, [guests] realize that where they are right now, no matter what they have at their disposal in terms of resources or anything else, that they are in fact capable of the things they dream of,” Talese said.
‘Kea and the Ark’
June 25 - July 1, The Sedgwick Theater. Tickets required
“Kea and the Ark” combines puppetry, dance, electric cello, and storytelling to share the tale of Kea Tawana, a woman who built an 86-foot-long, three-story tall ark in Newark as an act of protest and imagination. Presented by White Box Theatre and Sebastienne Mundheim, this performance was originally commissioned in 2023 and has received rave reviews.
Mundheim said Tawana’s story resonated with her, raising questions about “identity, politics, race, class, housing equity, [and] real estate development.”
Tawana was “a remarkable person who had incredible tenacity and ingenuity and a sense of justice,” Mundheim said. “[She] was an outspoken person and persevered against all odds, and was really a person who was pretty unseen.”
Mundheim said the 60-minute performances of “Kea and the Ark” create a universe that comes alive.
“The story we share is deceptively simple, but … it taps into something very deep in people,” Mundheim said.
The Month of Moderns: Building a Contemporary Canon
June 28, 4 p.m., The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. Tickets required
Philadelphia’s The Crossing, an award-winning choir directed by Donald Nally, will present a performance showcasing Haitian-American composer Nathalie Joachim in Chestnut Hill. The piece is connected to Philadelphia history, drawing inspiration from Benjamin Franklin’s “Thirteen Virtues.” Composer Julia Wolfe, a Montgomery County native, will also present a world premiere of her work “Hurricane.”
Nally said this performance is indicative of the rich creative talent of Philadelphia. Drawing on a Founding Father’s writings, this performance is fit for the semiquincentennial.
“Contemporary composers approach original source material — like, for example, the essential virtues of Benjamin Franklin — and put them through a new lens 250 years later. What does that inspire us to think about?” Nally said.
Salonish BYOI (Bring Your Own Instrument)
June 30, Settlement Music School (Germantown). Free
Calling this event a salon, or a gathering of intellectuals, was too formal. Hence, the made-up term “salonish,” or a gathering with casual discourse and some food.
Emcee Black Buttafly (Kayla Childs) and composer and producer Anthony Tidd will lead this session, providing a structured, real-time method of directing an improvised ensemble. Attendees are encouraged to bring any instrument they have to join in the fun.
Carlin Adelson, special projects associate for ArtPhilly, is looking forward to seeing people of all skill levels come together in “hope and harmony.”
“I think that there will be something so rewarding in seeing different disciplines come together,” Adelson said. “Seeing what these worlds look like together — I have no idea what it’s going to look like. I think it’ll be really fun.”
To learn more about these events, buy tickets, or register, visit artphilly.org.
Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.
