VPAS 505 Mural Arts + Storytelling for the Classroom

Division of Continuing Studies Professional Institute for Educators

3 credits 45.0 hours
600 level graduate course

Murals are stories (written or spoken) that make their way onto the walls of the city. The work of Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program is fueled by the diverse stories of individuals, families and communities. In this class, developed with the Mural Arts Program, participants study the historic context of murals in Philadelphia and explore the process of visual translation and community collaboration. Participants learn how writing, storytelling and oral history traditions can lead to the creation of a small-scale mural project in their schools and how to connect this activity to a variety of subject areas and diverse learners. The course includes a guided tour of Philadelphia murals, as well as guest speakers and projects that build an understanding of collaborative art-making. Each participant creates a small panel that is installed as a group mural and learns some of the technical steps that can lead toward mural proposals and installations in school environments.

Prerequisites VPAS*502

Open to graduate students from the Division of Continuing Studies.
This course is not repeatable for credit.
This course may not be audited.
This course cannot be taken pass/fail.