Famous Creatives

Richard Brooks

After graduating from West Philadelphia High School, screenwriter, director, and novelist Richard Brooks attended Temple University. Throughout his career, Brooks was nominated for four Oscars and won in 1960 for his screenplay for the film Elmer Gantry. His resume boasts various other works both on and off screen and his excellence in the field was rewarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Brooks passed away at the age of 80, but his legacy remains in Philadelphia as yet another notable resident of the creative city.

Shelly Spector

Shelley Spector Old city creatives corridor artist

A graduate of University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Shelley Spector has created a unique blend of sociology and art through her sculptures, paintings, and other work. Her pieces are typically reflective of the systems and communities that make up American society. More specifically, Spector stresses her fascination with Philadelphia through her creation of Artjaw, a story-telling community of artists. “Artjaw puts human and highly personal faces on the inner workings of [Philadelphia], its systems and social structure, the ways it connects with other working environments, with families, with other social groups.” Still a resident of Philadelphia, Spector was clearly influenced by the inspiration the city has to offer for all forms of creativity.

Chiddy Bang

Chiddy Bang- Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, Chidera "Chiddy" Anamege and Noah "Xaphoon Jones" Beresin joined forces as freshmen at Drexel University and created the alternative hip hop band known as Chiddy Bang. Their website explains, “As a kid, when not in school or at temple, he [Xaphoon] would spend his time running errands in legendary Philly studios, picking up tips from the local Jazz legends and sneaking sessions after hours.” The creativity outlets and resources provided by the city played a fundamental role in their recent rise to fame. Before attracting the attention of famed music industry figure Kanye West, Chiddy Bang’s number one goal was exposure. The Creative Corridor is a response to Philadelphia’s need for this centralized sharing of ideas and can ideally help artists achieve the same success.