Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, nonprofit community art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial is an art school and cultural center in South Philadelphia housed in a Renaissance Revival building. The complex includes a former church building from 1837 with tall windows and decorative details, an adjacent rowhouse, and a gallery that hosts exhibitions and community programs.
The center began in 1898 when Samuel Fleisher started offering free art classes to neighborhood children and later left his estate to keep the program running. The church building itself was constructed in 1837 and originally served poor residents; Fleisher purchased it in 1916 and transformed it into an art gallery.
The memorial is named after Samuel S. Fleisher, whose belief was that art should belong to everyone regardless of background or wealth. Today this philosophy shows in the events held here, such as the Day of the Dead celebration, which brings the community together and honors different cultural traditions.
The center is located in South Philadelphia and welcomes anyone interested in attending free or low-cost art classes in various media like drawing, painting, and sculpture. Visitors can explore the grounds to see the historic spaces and galleries, especially when exhibitions or community events are taking place.
The building contains one of the last playable Wurlitzer pipe organs still in a historic Philadelphia church, and its architecture was inspired by Italian churches, particularly San Zeno Maggiore in Verona. These European influences create an unexpected visual contrast in South Philadelphia's neighborhood.
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