Philly Hosts Five-Week Arts Festival for America 250

A New Arts Festival Shines a Light on Philadelphia’s Creative Legacy

In 2026, Philadelphia will host a groundbreaking arts festival that promises to celebrate the city's vibrant cultural landscape. Titled What Now: 2026, this five-week event is set to be one of the most significant cultural milestones in the city's history, coinciding with the nation's 250th anniversary. Organized by the nonprofit ArtPhilly, the festival aims to showcase the talent and creativity of local artists while engaging both residents and visitors.

The festival will run from late May to July 2026, aligning with major events such as the Fourth of July and the FIFA World Cup matches. It will feature over 30 original works created by dozens of Philadelphia-based artists across various disciplines. These works will be presented in venues throughout the city, offering a unique opportunity for audiences to experience the depth and diversity of the local art scene.

Notable Artists and Collaborations

Among the featured artists are filmmaker Walé Oyéjidé, poet Yolanda Wisher, opera singer and drag queen Cookie Diorio, photographer and pop-up book creator Colette Fu, and sculptor Pedro Ospina. Their contributions will add to the rich tapestry of artistic expression that defines Philadelphia.

Institutional collaborators include BalletX, BlackStar, Philadanco!, the Crossing, and Theatre in the X. These partnerships ensure that the festival will have a broad reach and impact, bringing together different artistic communities and traditions.

One of the standout projects is The Basil Biggs Project, a new play by Anna Deavere Smith. A renowned actor and playwright, Smith drew inspiration from her family’s history. Her great-great-grandfather, Basil Biggs, was a farmer and veterinarian who worked on disinterring and reburying Union soldiers during the Civil War. Smith’s research into her family’s past has led to a powerful exploration of history, memory, and identity.

The Visionaries Behind the Festival

What Now: 2026 was conceived by Katherine Sachs, a prominent local philanthropist and longtime trustee of the Philadelphia Art Museum, and Bill Adair, an experienced arts administrator. Together, they have been instrumental in shaping the festival’s vision and ensuring its success.

Sachs began planning the festival in 2021, aiming to make the arts a central part of Philadelphia’s Semiquincentennial celebrations. She assembled a committee of regional arts leaders, including Thom Collins of the Barnes Foundation, Cathy Cahill of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and Jane Golden of Mural Arts, to help develop meaningful ways to highlight the city’s artistic talent.

“I just thought we could do a better job than we did in 1976 [for the Bicentennial],” Sachs said. “We want people to see what Philly has to offer every day of the year, so they come back.”

Adair emphasized the importance of recognizing Philadelphia’s cultural strengths. “We’re rah-rah sports. We’re rah-rah about our history and our Independence Hall, and Liberty Bell,” he said. “Those are amazing parts of our identity, but we know that the arts and culture sector is one of the strongest in the country and the world, and we deserve to be known for that.”

Building a Lasting Cultural Infrastructure

To support the festival, Sachs and Adair founded the nonprofit ArtPhilly, which will provide the infrastructure needed to plan and execute the event. They hope to make What Now: 2026 a recurring festival, held every two or three years.

The duo raised approximately $7.5 million for ArtPhilly and the festival, with funding coming from the William Penn Foundation, the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, private foundations, and corporate sponsors. Additionally, ArtPhilly received $750,000 from the Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial.

Working with choreographer Tania Isaac, ArtPhilly’s curatorial and deputy director, they selected 17 Philadelphia curators who proposed 45 projects. From these, 32 works were chosen, each receiving between $20,000 and $400,000 in funding.

Economic and Cultural Impact

Sachs highlighted the potential economic benefits of the festival, noting that similar events in other cities have generated a return on investment of up to six times. “The economic impact is really pretty great, between the hotels and restaurants, and what the artists have to build and all the people that you have involved,” she said.

The Los Angeles Pacific Standard Time festival served as a model for What Now: 2026. Sachs noted that such events can boost attendance at cultural institutions, which have struggled with foot traffic since the pandemic.

A Unique Perspective on the Anniversary

Adair emphasized that the festival is not just a celebration of the anniversary but also a reflection and interrogation of it. “For us, this festival isn’t a celebration of the anniversary, as much as it is a kind of marking and interrogation of the anniversary. Hence the question, ‘What now?’” he said.

By centering the voices of artists, the festival aims to spark public discourse around the nation’s history and future.

Featured Projects

Some of the festival’s standout projects include:

• Chinatown Pop-Up Book: A large, hand-cranked pop-up book that explores the history of Philadelphia’s Chinatown.
• In Case of Fire, Speak!: A dance collaboration between the Martha Graham Dance Company and Philadanco!
• Marian Anderson: A Voice of Beauty, Hope, and Change: A series of compositions inspired by the life and activism of Marian Anderson.
• Blacktronika: Philadelphia Now and Then: Workshops and performances centered on musicians of color in electronic music.
• Pepperpot: A fusion of live music, poetry, and food that highlights the history of pepper pot soup, created by jazz musician V. Shayne Frederick and chef Valerie Erwin.

These projects reflect the diverse and dynamic nature of Philadelphia’s artistic community, ensuring that What Now: 2026 will be a memorable and impactful event.