I have been a member of DVAA since 2008. When I first joined, DVAA functioned more like a private club, mostly for the board and their friends. In 2010, there was going to be a big Philagrafika International print program and I asked the board to participate as an organization. They almost didn’t since none of the board members were printmakers. Run by volunteers and an executive director that didn’t get paid but lived upstairs for free, there were few programs and no outreach to the community. In 2015 we hired our first part time executive director and then an art director and things really began to grow. Now we have 2 full-time co-directors and a part-time marketing person. We actively engage with the community through a variety of programs and initiatives (DaVinci Fest, mural, Atria Center City Senior Living, Fellowship program) have lots of programming for our members (book club, critiques, discussions) and are known throughout the city. I support DVAA because we fill a need in the city for artists, art lovers and citizens of the city. We have free programs, openings, artist’s talks. We find ways to use art to create community and enrich the lives of all. For example, our latest community program involved donating art to formerly homeless people served by SELF Incorporated. Our members donated almost 200 pieces of art which were then selected by SELF clients ready to move into permanent housing. I hope you will choose to donate to DVAA and help us strengthen our programs and our participating in city-wide initiatives which enhance peoples lives through the arts.
Da Vinci Art Alliance’s core mission is building community through art. Located in South Philadelphia, DVAA is a non-profit art-centered community space committed to fostering new ideas, facilitating open dialogue, and exchanging skills and resources. Through free public programming, funded fellowships and residencies, exhibitions and an annual community centered arts and science festival, DVAA supports people within all stages of their artistic journey.
Our organization was founded in 1931 by sixteen Italian immigrant artists and collectors, at a time when immigrants were barred from major artistic, academic and scientific institutions. DVAA is still influenced by our founders – utilizing the power of art to break down barriers and foster a space that encourages diverse and inclusive curation and programming. DVAA owns and operates a rowhome in Queen Village, a historically immigrant-centric pocket of South Philadelphia. Our programs cultivate a visual meeting ground for the many cultures and identities that call our neighborhood home and help to bridge the gap between diverging neighbors, providing them with agency to create, collaborate, and celebrate the universal creative spirit that unites us all. In 2021 we hired two full-time Co-Directors, committed to building relationships between our artist members, our neighbors, and the greater Philadelphia community through resource sharing and intentional programming.
We have a lot of new exciting things in the works, and will be using this space to announce a lot of it!! As Covid restrictions are changing, we're looking forward to welcoming you all back in larger groups at the gallery and outdoor at our new monthly social at Palumbo Park.