The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, June 12-18, 2025

Ripple Effect by Elizabeth Mackie
June 7-27
Chimaera Gallery, 3502 Scotts Lane #2113, Philadelphia

This exhibition is a sensory-rich exploration of movement, place, and transformation, inspired by the ever-shifting rhythms of the Delaware River. Through video, handmade paper, and collaborative soundscapes, Elizabeth Mackie captures the interplay between body, environment, and time.

Table Sessions: Daniel de Jesús
Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12
Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Boulevard

An immersive evening with a cello trio featuring Daniel de Jesús is coming to Southwest Philly, as Journey Arts hosts a night of Table Sessions this week. Jesús pulls from the poetry of Federico García Lorca, whose Sonetos de Amor Oscuro chronicles a forbidden queer love amidst the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War.

Mx. Cabaret Pride Pageant
Thursday, June 12, 7pm
Players Club of Swarthmore, 614 Fairview Road, Swarthmore, PA

For one night only, the Mx. Cabaret Pride Pageant takes over the PCS Main Stage, with six drag entertainers competing for the title of Mx. Cabaret Pride 2025—and a fabulous crown and scepter are on the line, too.

The Sisters
June 13 and 15
Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 North American Street

Liberty City Arts presents the world premiere of a new chamber opera that imagines a dreamlike conversation between four pioneering women poets across time. The Sisters follows poet Amy Lowell as she conjures visions of Sappho, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Emily Dickinson, weaving their texts into the libretto.

Pride Month Celebration at the PMA
Friday, June 13, 5-8:45pm
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

The PMA welcomes you to this family-friendly evening of events and activities celebrating Pride. The evening kicks off with artist Katie Kaplan’s pop-up studio where folks can create vibrant paper quilts that encourage play with color, shape, and image; a Friday Night lounge for dancing the night away; a baking workshop, and more.

TERRA: Bodies & Territories
June 13-15 and June 20-22
Schuylkill Environmental Center, 8480 Hagy’s Road, Philadelphia

TERRA: Bodies & Territories is an immersive performance staged outdoors on forested land that confronts the profound shared vulnerabilities between women’s bodies and the natural environment. Blending sound scores, field recordings, musical instrumentation, sculptural set pieces, and costumes, the performance complements the natural environment with the dancers’ movements and creator and choreographer Silvana Cardell’s conceptual themes.

5 into 1
June 13-August 28, 2025
The Galleries at Moore College of Art & Design, 1916 Race Street

The 25th anniversary show returns with large-scale installations, mixed-media sculpture, and immersive works from both recent graduates and alumni from five of Philadelphia’s art schools. This year’s edition includes the final student work from UArts and PAFA, marking the final show that will feature the exhibition’s original format. The opening reception is on Friday, June 13 at 5pm.

Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom
Saturday, June 14, 10am-5pm
Penn Museum, 3260 South Street

Penn Museum is starting the Juneteenth celebrations early with a free, family-friendly festival this weekend. Featuring inspirational storytelling with Black Boys Makin’ Noise, interactive workshops like Double Dutch with Philly Girls Jump, African drumming led by Karen Smith, and line dancing with Kenny J; a marketplace spotlighting local Black-owned businesses and organizations focusing on health and wellness, food trucks, and more will be in tow. Guests can also check out the museum for free. Advance registration is required for the festival.

10th annual Clay Fest
Saturday, June 14, 12-5pm
The Clay Studio, 1425 North American Street

The Clay Studio hosts its annual Clay Fest this Saturday, with hands-on clay projects, animation, air-dried clay plushie hearts, wheel throwing demonstrations, a group sculpture extravaganza, and artist-led projects throughout the afternoon.

Obvious Agency’s Space Opera
Starting Saturday, June 14, then June 21 and 28, 12-7pm
Arch Street Meeting House, 302 Arch Street

Drawing from traditions of tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and theatrical techniques from Theatre of the Oppressed, Space Opera is an immersive, interactive performance where participants shape the narrative alongside game masters, production designers, and performer-facilitators. Led by director and producer Cat Ramirez and artists Joseph Ahmed, Matthew Armstead, KC Legacion, Anthony Martinez-Briggs, Samantha Rise, and Jackie Soro, the experience uses games, democratic organizing practices, and theatrical spectacle to test your ability to work together in order to thwart existential consequences. Space Opera takes place over three seven-hour play sessions over the next three Saturdays.

Mini-tour of Society Hill by Jim Murphy
Saturday, June 14, 2pm
Starting at the northwest corner of 3rd Street and Pine Street

Jim Murphy, certified member of the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides and author of Real Philly History, Real Fast, takes you on a hour-long tour of Society Hill, where Murphy promises you will learn things about Philadelphia and Society Hill that you didn’t know before. The tour concludes at Head House Books with a book signing—you can order your copy ahead of time. You’ll also have to reserve a spot ahead of time: be sure to email Murphy and let him know you’re coming!

West Park Arts Fest
Saturday, June 14, 1-6pm
West Fairmount Park, South Concourse Drive Near 41st Street and Memorial Hall Drive, Philadelphia

West Park Arts Fest returns with a free, family-friendly event that celebrates the arts, diversity, and community collaboration in West Fairmount Park. Featuring music, dance, spoken word, and interactive art—including an origami experience from Shofuso, book giveaways from Treehouse Books, and an interactive arts activity with Mural Arts.