The Fabric Workshop and Museum

The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) in Philadelphia was founded in 1977 with a visionary purpose: to stimulate experimentation by leading contemporary artists and to share the process of creating works of art with the public. FWM is an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum uniquely distinguished as the only U.S. institution devoted to creating work in new materials and new media in collaboration with artists coming from diverse artistic backgrounds—including sculpture, installation, video, painting, ceramics, and architecture. Providing studio facilities, equipment, and expert technicians, FWM originally invited artists to experiment with fabric, and later with a wide range of innovative materials and media. FWM also serves as an education center for Philadelphia’s youth who, as printing apprentices, learn technical and vocational skills along with approaches to creative expression.

Research, construction, and fabrication occur on-site in studios that are open to the public, providing visitors with the opportunity to see artwork from conception to completion. FWM’s permanent collection includes not only complete works of art but also material research, samples, prototypes, and photography and video of artists making and speaking about their work. FWM seeks to bring this spirit of artistic investigation and discovery to the wider public to ensure and broaden their access to art, and to advance the role of art as a catalyst for innovation and social connection.

FWM has developed from an ambitious experiment to a renowned institution with a widely renowned Artist-in-Residence Program, an extensive permanent collection of new work created by artists at the Museum, in-house and touring exhibitions, and comprehensive educational programming including lectures, tours, in-school presentations, and student apprenticeships.