PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — They pushed back against a major development that would have changed their neighborhood — and they won. That’s the focus of a new exhibit at the Asian Arts Initiative, exploring last year’s movement against the 76ers’ proposal to build an arena in Chinatown.
The Sixers’ Market East arena plan was canned in January 2025 after a deal was struck between the team and Comcast Spectacor to remain in South Philly and build a new stadium.
The new exhibit, titled “No Arena: Making a Movement,” includes a massive photo collage of all the people who contributed to the grassroots movement, as well as news clippings from past construction the neighborhood has fended off, like a Phillies stadium and casino in Chinatown back in the 2000s.
There’s a section highlighting all the City Council testimonies of anti-arena participants, and throughout are all the graphics, art and more used by supporters.
Nigel Thompson/KYW Newsradio
“It pays homage to all the people and all the faces that were part of this fight… [who] showed up every day,” said Claire So, with the Ginger Arts Center, a youth arts center that brought young people in the Chinatown community into the movement.
She said relationships were at its core and a major reason why the new Sixers arena will be in South Philly instead of Market East.
“This fight could not have been won without solidarity across our communities,” she said.
Mia Kang with the Philadelphia Folklore Project said Chinatown has long had a history of organizing to protect itself, but the anti-arena movement was all about cross-community collaboration. She said this exhibit is a celebration of what organizers accomplished, but also a chance to pass on what they learned.
“How could other cities or even other neighborhoods in Philadelphia replicate some of the strategies and strengths that we were able to develop?” Kang said.
The exhibit runs at the Asian Arts Initiative through July 11. Throughout its time, events will be held in the space to glean lessons from the movement.
