Kent School’s Vance Lecture series offers students a chance to learn from accomplished individuals who have devoted their lives to the prevention and resolution of various conflicts. A staple of the Kent School experience, students have witnessed lecturers discuss United States international relations, terrorism, national defense, and a variety of other topics. Recent Vance Lecturer, Ms. Jane Golden, presented a lecture this January 13th that strayed from the generally more concrete and “pragmatic” lectures.

An eclectic and energetic speaker, Ms. Golden discussed solving conflict and building community through the use of art, particularly murals. She first found her foray into murals and community art after finishing college at Stanford and then living in Los Angeles for a period of time. As a recent graduate and unsure of her future occupation, Ms. Golden decided to apply for a grant to paint a mural in the L.A. community; what she did not expect was to end up with a career based on murals. Ms. Golden loved interacting with and learning about her community and saw the impact of art and group participation in the community.

After moving back to Philadelphia, Ms. Golden became the founder and director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, receiving a multitude of awards for the over 3800 works of art created by the program. Class of ’17 member Rick Henshaw was “impressed that the murals looked so professional” and “how many people in the area worked on the project.” He also commented on the wide variety of social issues covered by the murals, surprised by the program’s commitment to “give the community what they wanted.”  

Ms. Golden emphasized the impact that bringing art and community together has had on her hometown. In the impoverished and conflicted communities in Philadelphia the murals acted as a productive, community building process. By allowing the communities to determine the content of their mural, people are invested and interested in them. The Mural Arts Program works particularly to not only contribute art, but leave a lasting impact on communities. The program works particularly with students to keep them engaged in the arts and working towards positive futures. Students involved with the program have all managed to graduate high school, with the majority going on to higher education, a remarkable feat in the often underfunded and conflict-ridden schools in Philadelphia.

Working in a variety of communities across the U.S., Ms. Golden has stressed the need for empathy and understanding in dealing with modern conflicts. She sees the judgmental attitude adopted by many today as a strong barrier from fostering positive change. Having visited and interacted with a wide variety of communities in difficult areas, Ms. Golden is highly aware of the difficulties faced by members of these communities and necessitates understanding. In recent years, the program has worked to enable communities to express their thoughts on a variety of social issues, such as LGBT or mental health issues. An inspiring force for community and social change, Ms. Golden demonstrates the impact art and community involvement can have on its members.