Mission

Based in Philadelphia, for 39 years, through fellowships, residencies, educational outreach, exhibitions, professional development, and city-wide events, the Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA) has provided hundreds of local artists with the tangible resources they need to develop sustainable careers and make a living from that career. In turn, these same artists provide both denizens and visitors with imaginative, inspirational opportunities to engage with their artwork, across the city.

What We Do

CFEVA provides opportunities and mentorship for Philadelphia-based artists in order to find work in exhibitions, workshops and teaching jobs. Many local artists do not make incomes over $25,000 a year. We help place artists in galleries, exhibitions and sell their work online. We also support our community by placing teaching artists in homeless shelters and low-income senior living facilities to conduct classes for the clientele. Our most visible event is the Philadelphia Open Studios Tour, which opens up creative spaces throughout the city to the public each October, illuminating how the city's creative class is contributing to the fabric of its diverse neighborhoods. Not only does it showcase artist spaces, but offers citizens an opportunity to explore new communities right where they live.