The Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center in Philadelphia has opened its 4th annual Spring Fine Arts Exhibition, titled “WE THE PEOPLE: Preserve Our Right to Clean Water.” Curated by Thom Duffy in partnership with director Karen Young, the show features local artists whose works explore water as a public resource and constitutional right. Highlights include a site-specific installation by Amie Potsic called “Rising Tides,” and pieces by Emily Brown, Robert Reinhardt, and Rinal Parikh. The exhibition runs through August 1, 2026.
The exhibition matters because it connects Philadelphia’s historic role in water infrastructure—the Fairmount Water Works was originally built to provide clean drinking water—to contemporary environmental advocacy. By tying the art to Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment and the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday, the show frames clean water access as both a civic duty and a constitutional right. It uses visual art to engage the public on an urgent environmental issue, making it a model for how cultural institutions can address policy and community concerns.