Mission

Founded in 1988, Vox Populi is a contemporary art space and artist collective that works to support the challenging and experimental work of under-represented artists with monthly exhibitions, gallery talks, performances, lectures, and related programming. For three decades, Vox Populi has played a unique role in the cultural life of Philadelphia by bringing our audience a diverse range of programming and providing a supportive environment in which artists can take risks and gain valuable professional experience.

With a rotating membership and a commitment to working collectively, Vox Populi is a vital forum for the development and exchange of artistic ideas. Vox Populi’s comprehensive exhibition schedule includes solo shows of both member and guest artists, a curated video lounge, annual guest-curated shows, exchanges with peer organizations and group shows that provide critical exposure for under-represented artists.

Vox Populi is located on the 3rd Floor of 319 North 11th Street, in Philadelphia. Artist receptions are free and open to the public, and take place on the first Friday of each month, from 6–10pm.

Collective Values Statement

Over the Summer of 2020, the Collective Membership of Vox Populi came together to discuss the effects and influences on or within our organization of white supremacy, hetero-patriarchy, racist violence, state violence, economic inequality, and the corporate exploitation of labor, land, and environment, considering how these conditions plague the operations of the non-profit arts and culture sector more broadly. Our conversations resulted in the drafting of a 7-page Values Statement in August 2020, a document which outlines in detail our shared commitments and ambitions for making Vox Populi a more inclusive and equitable organization moving forward.

The Vox Populi Values Statement is a public document, available for PDF download, through which we seek to actively interrogate and transform our organization and its operations in an ongoing way. The document serves as a tool for guiding the choices and investments of current and future organizational leadership and membership, details specific commitments to annual anti-oppression training and conscientious decision-making, and provides a roadmap for how to hold one another accountable to the ongoing work of anti-oppression.

Non-discrimination Policy

Vox Populi does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, members, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

Vox Populi is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

History

Vox Populi was founded in 1988 by Ann Karlen (the original director from 1997-2000), Mark Forsythe, Jennie Shanker, Julie Marquart, Jennie Desnouee, Michael Frechette, and Beth Rhodes. Over beers at Dirty Franks, a loose-knit group of Philadelphia artists decided to call a citywide open meeting (publicized through posters, flyers, and word of mouth) to discuss non-existent artistic opportunities and to propose a remedy through self-organization. This first meeting for Vox occurred in a space located on the second floor of 622 S. 4th Street. At the meeting, Vox Populi was formed, and thirty members joined the new collective. Vox’s first location was a three-story building on 4th Street, just south of South Street. Vox moved to a four-story building on 2nd and Church Streets in 1991, and in 2001 moved to 1315 Cherry Street in the Gilbert Building (which housed the Fabric Workshop and Museum), before moving to the current location on 11th Street in 2007.