Summer Nights: Art & Resistance
Saturday, August 01, 2026
6:00 - 9:00pm EST
Image: Mark Loughney's installation, Pyrrhic Defeat: A Visual Study of Mass Incarceration.
Free admission for Eastern State members! Join now.
Creativity can be a powerful catalyst for change—both inside and outside prison walls. Learn about the role that art and ingenuity played at Eastern State from the healing power of painting to the resourcefulness of unique escape plans. Plus, consider the continued impact of art as resistance today.
- Mini Tour: Chaplain’s Office Murals
Explore the Catholic Chaplain’s Office and get an up close and personal look at the 23 murals created by Lester Smith while incarcerated at Eastern State in the 1950s. Learn more about Eastern State’s religious foundations, and consider the impact of faith, resilience, and community behind prison walls.
- Mini Tour: The Tunnel Story & Other Escapes
In 1945, Clarence Klinedinst, “Slick Willie” Sutton, and other people incarcerated at Eastern State devised a bold escape plan, digging a tunnel through a cell and under the penitentiary’s perimeter wall. Learn more about their scheme and other escape attempts over the wall, under the wall, and through the gatehouse. Though often sensationalized, these historic escape attempts can also reveal deeply human stories of creativity and resistance.
About the Panelists:
We strive to make the penitentiary and our site, programs, and exhibits accessible to all visitors. Click here to learn more about accessibility and accommodations at ESPHS.
Saturday Evenings, June 20 – 27 and July 11 — Aug 1, 2026 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm (last entry at 8:00 pm).
This program is part of Summer Nights at Eastern State - With a different theme each week, Summer Nights provides a fun and meaningful night out—combining history, culture, and entertainment in a one-of-a-kind setting. Enjoy immersive experiences, interactive events, and exclusive behind-the-scenes access to one of Philadelphia’s most unique landmarks.
