Journal

A Note from Executive Director Risë Wilson I am honored to become the Painted Bride’s newest Executive Director. In many ways, this is a homecoming. Although I spent two decades living and working in Brooklyn, I was born and raised in Germantown. And what few people know is that The… Read More

After 26 years of visionary leadership, Laurel Raczka is stepping down as Executive Director of the Painted Bride Art Center. WHYY’s Peter Crimmins spoke with Laurel and Board Chair John Barber about what’s next—and why this moment is not an ending, but a fresh beginning rooted in transformation. From South… Read More

Some collaborations begin with a formal commission or a neatly outlined proposal. Others emerge more gradually through conversation, shared language, overlapping artistic interests, and a growing recognition that certain questions are larger than any single project. What unfolds this summer between Brownbody and the Painted Bride Project Space… Read More

Why to Show Up A Conversation with the Artists in Residence, Part Three Painted Bride Project Space | Public Presentation Week: May 9–17, 2026 Over the past two weeks, we’ve provided a view from inside the artists’ processes: how they work, what they are building, and the questions shaping… Read More

How the Work is Made Painted Bride Project Space Public Engagement Week: May 9 to 17, 2026 For over five decades, Painted Bride has been a space where artists and community meet in real time. Not just to present work, but to develop… Read More

Before the work takes shape. Before audiences gather. Before anything is presented publicly, lives are being lived in real time. Proof of Life begins there. We sat down with Yannick Lowery, Andres Cisneros, and Taj Rauch, three artists currently in residence at Painted Bride Project Space, and asked them a… Read More

In the News The appointment of Painted Bride’s new Executive Director, Risë Wilson, was recently featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer in a profile by journalist Earl Hopkins. The article highlights Wilson’s return to Philadelphia and her connection to the Painted Bride, where early experiences helped shape her commitment to socially… Read More

Dear Friends, After 33 extraordinary years with the Painted Bride Art Center, I announce my retirement—effective December 31, 2025—with immense gratitude and heartfelt reflection. This decision comes after deep consideration and a profound appreciation for the remarkable journey I’ve been privileged to share with so many… Read More