The Friends of Mill Creek invite proposals for a new public arts project to reveal and celebrate the presence of Mill Creek. Revealing Mill Creek is envisioned as the first phase of a larger, long-term project to restore urban waters, landscape, and community. This first phase must be an inspiration, cornerstone, and symbol of ongoing and future projects.
Mill Creek is buried in a sewer, but it continues to shape landscape
and life. Time after time, across West Philadelphia, the ground has
caved in, and houses, streets, and even entire city blocks have tumbled
into enormous holes. To most people these are mysterious and unconnected
events, though some have heard rumors of a rushing river buried underground.
Where does the buried river come from and where does it go? How can
it be revealed and rainwater celebrated so people feel and know the importance
of these urban waters?
The Friends of Mill Creek represent various communities-artistic, educational, and community development--and neighborhoods within the Mill Creek Watershed. Our goal is to bring together artists, students, and residents to celebrate the life and resources in the neighborhoods through the medium of Mill Creek and its watershed. We believe that aesthetic quality, health, safety, and community stability are interrelated. With your help, we will reveal Mill Creek as both a literal and symbolic thread to bring disconnected communities together, to celebrate the natural and cultural history and traditions of the place and its people, and to imagine and shape its future.
