The Fabric Workshop and Museum (FWM) is an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum devoted both to the creation and presentation of innovative works of art. Its Artist-in-Residence program—the creative nucleus of FWM—provides artists at all stages of their careers the opportunity to collaborate with FWM as they experiment with new materials and new media, taking their work in fresh and often unexpected directions. FWM’s ground-breaking exhibitions, significant publications and wide-ranging educational programs convey a story of contemporary art that unites process with finished works.
From its inception, FWM served as an education center, broadening access to art and advancing art as a catalyst for innovation and social connection. Through its highly-regarded education programs, such as a renowned Apprentice Training Program and Onsite Studio, which integrates free art-making activities into the regular classroom curriculum of Philadelphia area public schools, FWM brings the spirit of artistic investigation to area youth.
FWM’s collection, archive, and publications preserve and document the course of artistic production from inspiration to realization. Residencies with 800 artists have helped generate a permanent collection of more than 5,000 objects – completed works, material research and experimental prototypes – chronicling FWM’s history of collaborating with some of the most esteemed artists of our time.