Throughout 2020 – COSACOSA's 30th anniversary year – we're documenting stories of individual and community self-determination in 30 Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Working across generational, cultural, and political divides, our Past Forward project is developing new ways to foster civil civic dialogues. Neighborhood images and interviews on community history, culture, and change – collected and told from multiple perspectives by city residents in collaboration with COSACOSA artists – form the basis for new public artworks created as part of the project.

Please join us in our Manayunk studio and around the city as we share art and ideas to how to make it better!™

COSACOSA youth at South Philadelphia's Kirkbride School created an online project to help build community during this difficult time. Eighth graders collected "words of wisdom" – messages of solidarity and advice from relatives or neighborhood elders. Check out their thoughtful reflections here.

Please consider joining the project by emailing or texting us your "words of wisdom" – whether a guiding principle, a piece of advice, a personal remembrance, or an original story about healing, hope, and unity. In these uncertain times, we hope that sharing our common experiences can build and strengthen our connection to one another.

We hope to hear from you!