A regular feature of the Kenney Administration, #PhillyMayorThisWeek highlights five events you might’ve missed.

This week, the Mayor celebrated City workers who shared their creativity with the world, announced he’d attend this year’s South by Southwest festival, and oversaw two Code Blue activations, urging residents to use City resources to keep each other safe. He also met architectural icon Frank Gehry and released a report detailing the progress Philadelphia has made during the first year of his Administration.

1. City officials and the Mayor celebrated the creativity of our employees at the 17th Annual National Arts Program.

The National Arts Program Exhibit in Philadelphia is a competition showcasing artwork by City employees and their family members across municipal government. Now in its 17th year, the contest featured 185 works of art by over 100 artists that ranged from poignant tributes of fallen police officers to clay sculptures of historical figures, photography, works on paper, painted masks by children, and much more. Mayor Kenney recognized all the participants at the awards celebration. “Their artwork inspires not only their fellow City employees but also their fellow Philadelphians,” the Mayor observed, “who may not have thought of expressing themselves through art before viewing this exhibition.”

2. Mayor Kenney announced that he would be attending 2017’s South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

In the first year of Mayor Jim Kenney’s Administration, Philadelphia had its first coordinated presence at this ubiquitous conference showcasing the latest developments in tech, interactive media, film, music, entrepreneurship, and creativity. In 2017, the Mayor himself will travel to Texas as part of a delegation organized by the the United States Conference of Mayors and the City of Austin. “This is a unique opportunity to learn from some of the brightest minds in a variety of industries,” the Mayor explained, “while also highlighting our own thriving startup and tech communities.” This will be the first time any Philadelphia mayor has been part of the interactive conference and festival.

3. The Mayor oversaw two activations of a Code Blue, ushering in the start of the 2016-2017 cold weather season.

When the temperature becomes dangerously low, the City activates what’s known as a Code Blue. During a Code Blue, the City takes special measures to keep people who are homeless safe. These measures include providing 24-hour street outreach and transportation to safe indoor spaces, opening all available beds within the emergency housing network, and allowing homeless residents to stay inside emergency housing during the day. Upon activating the Code Blue, Mayor Kenney encouraged Philadelphians who saw those who need shelter to request outreach teams anytime, anywhere by calling 215-232-1984.

4. Mayor Kenney met architectural icon Frank Gehry.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is about to undergo a massive internal overhaul thanks to the vision of legendary architect Frank Gehry. This week, Gehry met Mayor Kenney and talked about his vision for the new interior of the landmark museum; the two also talked about their shared love for hockey. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Stephan Salisbury describes Gehry’s project and reports that the official groundbreaking is in spring 2017 with construction expected to finish in 2020.

5. The Mayor released a report detailing the progress the City has made during the first year of his Administration.

This week, the Mayor released a comprehensive look at the progress we’ve made as a City by working together to tackle our biggest obstacles — including the passage of the Philadelphia Beverage Tax. “Parents, teachers, rec center leaders, doctors, environmentalists, economists, labor unions, and business owners came together and succeeded where nearly all other cities have failed,” the Mayor reflected. The tax “will provide a better future for our neighborhoods and our children.” Recognizing the challenges ahead, he observed that “in the birthplace of the United States of America, our greatest strength comes from our ability to stand together.” You can read a copy of the report online.

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