Streets Dept Podcast

To kick off the 5th year of the Streets Dept Podcast, host Conrad Benner talks with a very special guest who's making a big announcement. That guest is Terrill Haigler, but there's a chance you know him better as “Ya Fav Trashman.” Over the last few years, Terrill has turned a much-beloved Instagram account that he created to help Philadelphians better understand the challenges of sanitation work at the start of the pandemic into a movement for better streets. Now, he's hoping to take that energy to local government.  

On today’s episode host Conrad Benner is joined by Rick Krajewski. Krajewski is a State Representative running for his second term serving PA’s 188th District. He is a progressive Democrat in a PA Congress which has Republicans in control of both chambers of the state legislature. As he comes to the end of his first two-year term and runs for his second, we discuss the obstacles and opportunities of working in this congress, especially over the last two years with the added challenges created by Covid. And we talk about his goals for a second term, one he'll likely serve if he beats his Primary challenger in the coming May 17th elections. 

On today’s episode host Conrad Benner is joined by Elijah Crawford and Zach Miscavage, Co-Owners of Ugly Art Films. In just over a year after Ugly Art's conception, the company has produced over 18 projects with artists nationally, including music videos, a not-yet-released interview series, commercial work, and more. Together we talk about how the pair met to start a filmmaking effort, how they've developed their signature style, and what's on deck as they plan their first short film, "The Cure for Depression"!

On today’s episode host Conrad Benner is joined by Philly-based artist Josh Pellegrini. Josh talks about finding an artistic community through his sobriety. Leaving his nursing career to become a full-time photographer. And what he's learned with his newfound success in NFTs. 

Today on the podcast host Conrad Benner talks with Denver-based walking artist and pedestrian advocate, Jonathon Stalls. In 2010, Jonathon spent 242 days walking across the United States. Since then he's built a grassroots walking movement focused on cultivating connections to others, to the places we live, and to ourselves. One of his latest efforts: creating content for his wildly popular Pedestrian Dignity TikTok page that explores good and bad public design across the world.

Today on the podcast host Conrad Benner talks with artist-on-the-rise, Kah Yangni about their burgeoning art career, their take on muralism, and their latest mural in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia that celebrates Philadelphians from the trans, gender non-conforming, and non-binary communities!

In this special anniversary episode, StreetsDept.com Founder Conrad Benner opens up about 10 years of blogging about Philly art and public space! For the conversation, Conrad is interviewed by Streets Dept Contributor, Eric Dale. 

In today's final Sidebar: A New View – Camden episode we talk with one of the final groups who built an installation for this project, Amanda Schachter and Alexander Levi of SLO Architecture and contemplate the cycles of Camden’s history and potential energy ahead!