About

ABOUT THIS BLOG

StreetsDept.com is a photo-blog that discovers art on the streets of Philadelphia. The primary focus of Streets Dept is documenting and celebrating street art and muralism across Philly’s public spaces. In general, I believe deeply that the public space has a profound effect on us as individuals and on our city as a whole, and my aim with this blog is to explore how we build and use public spaces creatively. (You can read Streets Dept’s full Purpose Statement here!) Established in January of 2011, Streets Dept was founded by photographer, Conrad Benner.

“For four years, Benner has tirelessly showcased Philly’s robust street art scene though his enormously popular blog and Instagram feed, Streets Dept… He has helped bring national respect to a Philadelphia art scene that deserves it.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer (2015)

“[StreetsDept.com] is a wonderful site to spend some time exploring, following in the footsteps of the site’s main curator, Conrad Benner, who describes himself as a ‘blogger/photographer/all around very curious fellow’. Less word on the street, more sights of the street, there’s little text here, just compelling photos from around town.” –The Guardian (2013)

ABOUT MY INSTAGRAM

The @StreetsDept Instagram handle documents all the same content as the blog. Though, I also use it to document art in public spaces whenever and wherever I travel! I have been selected and promoted as an Instagram ‘Suggested User’ twice over the last several years (if you’re curious how I have earned over 139k followers.)

On occasion, I work with brands, museums, institutions, and organizations that I love to create sponsored content, most notably: 3M, Timberland, Budweiser, Chevrolet, Uber, Urban Outfitters, Uniqlo, Open Table, Honeygrow, NextFab, Saxbys Coffee, Covenant House PA, Mural Arts Philadelphia, Visit Philly, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philly Tech Week, University City District, The Philadelphia Flower Show. While I’m pretty particular with who I create sponsored content with, I’m always open to ideas, so please feel free to email me!

ABOUT ME

Conrad Benner is the Founder of StreetsDept.com. A Fishtown, Philadelphia born-and-raised photo-blogger, curator, and podcaster, Conrad’s work explores art, our public space, and the creative minds shaping the world around us. Conrad’s blog has been named one of the ‘Best Blogs for Travellers’ by The Guardian, and his photography highlighted by Mashable and Instagram, as well as printed in Time Magazine and the Encyclopedia Britannica. Winner of the Philadelphia Geek Award for ‘Geek Culture Journalism’ (2011), Conrad was named ‘Best Art Curator’ by Philadelphia Magazine (2014), ‘Rad Guy of the Year’ at the 3rd Annual Rad Awards (2017), and one of ‘The 100 Most Influential People in Philadelphia’ by Philadelphia Magazine (2017). Most recently, he beat out the one and only Gritty to win the ‘Never Delete Your Account‘ award at the first annual Billy Penn awards, The Billies (2019). [Photo by Linette Messina Kielinski]

Conrad has used his growing influence not only to celebrate Philly’s burgeoning arts scene, but also to affect change. Most notably with his successful #SEPTA247 campaign, in 2014, which pushed the South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to reintroduce overnight weekend service to Philadelphia’s elevated and subway trains. As well as with his work on Next Stop: Democracy, a Knight Cities Challenge winning project, which aims to increase voter turnout in Philly with the help of local artists. And his work in 2016 with Covenant House Pennsylvania to create #AmICutOut, a pop-up art installation to help raise awareness and money to end youth homelessness in Philadelphia. And in the Trump-era, with his work co-organizing Signs of Solidarity, an inauguration day public art protest in opposition to hate and in protest of any and all that embolden divisiveness; co-organizing Collective Action, a silent art auction which raised over $23k for 10 local and national social justice organizations; and curator and organizer of Revolutionary: A Pop-Up Street Art Exhibition, a six-week exhibition, commissioned by Visit Philadelphia, which featured the work of 13 contemporary Philly-based artists who are challenging the current political and social status quo installed at 13 locations across Philadelphia’s Historic District.