Save DVAA: Help Keep This Artist-Run Space Alive

The art and cultural landscape of Philadelphia is in a crisis point. While large institutions prepare for the Semiquincentennial next year with boosted funding, many small organizations like DVAA are still trying to recover from debt taken on during COVID. We’ve been operating for years without a safety net, and now with Trump’s DEI rollbacks and NEA grant cancellations shaking the funding ecosystem, DVAA has hit a wall. Without increased support, there is no path forward.

Since our founding by Italian immigrants in 1931, we’ve remained committed to building connections across age, economic, and cultural divides. We support over 40,000 people each year through 35+ exhibitions, festivals, 50+ skill-sharing workshops, and 25+ professional development programs. We believe that when people are given space to dream - and the tools to build those dreams - we create a better future, together. That work doesn’t end at our walls. Our members are part of mutual aid networks, community gardens, critical study groups, and other collective efforts across the city. We serve as a connector, a convener, and a launchpad.

 
And in times of crisis, it's no coincidence that art gets cut first. We question the status quo. We point out injustice and seek to rectify the wrongs embedded into our society. Throughout my time at DVAA I’ve seen exhibitions confronting the intersecting opioid and housing crises, gender inequality, food deserts, gentrification, education disparities, and more. Suffice to say, in this current political landscape, finding funding through grants will become increasingly difficult. We want to continue speaking truth to power—but right now we can’t do it without you.

By being transparent about our position, we hope this is a call not only to keep DVAA open, but a reminder that small cultural spaces across Philly need your support. Together, we give people the freedom to be themselves, share their stories, and find their people.

We’ve watched artists use DVAA to launch full-time practices, earn curatorial fellowships, and access opportunities once out of reach. This place changes lives—but only because people like you believe in it. If you’ve ever been moved by a show at DVAA, found your people here, or simply believe artists deserve space to gather, grow, and imagine—please give what you can. Every dollar and every share helps us to get to our goal of $120,000. With your help, we’ll be one step closer to continuing this vital community work.

With love, solidarity, and urgency,
Samantha M Connors
Executive Director, DVAA