Jane Golden, artist and Executive Director of Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program, recently talked to Metro Atlanta LINK, the planning agency for the 10 county Atlanta metropolitan region, to show how the arts can help address an urban area’s most intractable problems and bring creative energy to a city’s streets and its walls. Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program was first implemented in 1986. Since then, Golden has worked with more than 100 communities and produced 3,600 murals, which have been described as a cherished part of the civic landscape and a great source of inspiration to residents and visitors alike.

Cobb County businessman Jim Rhoden invited Golden to speak with the LINK delegation and later announced plans to bring a mural arts program to Atlanta. By the end of the night, $75,000 was raised for the program.

Jane Golden will be speaking on multiple panels at Americans for the Arts' 2014 Annual Convention.