Emily Mello to take the reins as executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Mural Arts Philadelphia has named its new executive director. Emily Mello will take over for Jane Golden, who is retiring after leading the organization for 43 years.

Golden announced last year that she would retire from the organization she founded in 1984.

“I love my job,” she told KYW Newsradio, “but there comes a time in every organization's life when you have to grapple with what's next.”

What’s next for Golden is passing the torch to the next generation of leadership. Mello will officially take on the executive director role on Sept. 1. Her resume includes 20 years of experience in art education and curation from Chicago to Miami.

“It’s a real honor to build upon a 40-year legacy of working with communities to create work that reflects the stories of Philadelphia,” she said.

As she prepares to lead an organization that’s overseen the installation of more than 4,000 murals across Philly, Mello said her goal is not to reinvent the wheel.

“One of my top priorities will be ensuring continuity, because the mission is so strong — the programs in restorative justice, youth education and creating public art,” she said, though she added she wants to prioritize elevation as well.

“When people talk about taking it to the next level, creating programs that think of art as medicine for health,” she said, “I’m speaking expansively into the future, continuing to respond to place and to Philly very strongly.”

Mello said much of her job will be letting the past inform the future, while continuing to focus on community.

“I center artists, but I also center publics and communities because it’s all one and the same for me,” she said. “I’m thrilled to be joining Mural Arts. It's an amazing team and an amazing legacy to build upon.”