The Boston Street Gallery is now in their 9th year. The gallery has been privileged to show some of our remarkable Philadelphia artists and has only been, since conception, shown Philadelphia area based artists. Nestled in a residential corner of Fishtown area, the Boston Street Gallery, 2539 E. Boston St., may have an unassuming façade, but is a revolving home to art from some of the most creative, Philadelphia artists.
Jeffrey P. Harris, owner of the Boston Street Gallery, has been involved in the arts since the 1970s. Along with producing art himself, he also had always wanted to establish an art gallery. Finally the cards fell into place for Jeff in 2015.
While the gallery may be the only one around this neighborhood , formed in May 2015 and we held the first exhibit in September 2015.
The building on Boston Street has a longstanding relationship with the arts. Jeff has owned the building since 1987 where he has always used the space primarily as a studio for his own work. “I bought [the building] in 1987 and the neighborhood was vastly different then, It’s really like night and day, both with temperament and tolerance. Through the years, I have watched the neighborhood transform and its people progress. From a neighborhood closed to the arts to one that values the gallery next door, the rise of the Boston Street Gallery is closely related to the changing tides of Fishtown. Harris’ dream of turning his property into a gallery space has not come without its challenges. From fighting with the city over past tenant issues to encountering a then less-than-accommodating neighborhood to his African American wife, turning the space into a proper gallery seemed like a pipe dream for some time.
As times progressed and the gentrification of Fishtown began, bringing in new artists and people. The culture for a gallery to thrive began to emerge. Now, Boston Street Gallery is opening the gallery’s door for its 8th year and have recently started BYOB paint events that are run by wife/partner , Marie. “The BYOB art classes are totally not serious. They’ll probably be more about drinking for most.
Aside from injecting a bit more culture into an already artistic neighborhood, Harris also aims to highlight local artists. “We’ve always had such a problem in the past and have almost taken second fiddle to New York in some ways, and I don’t think that really is the case anymore, I think there’s a lot of good work and a lot of work in many different avenues, not just a classic approach that Philadelphia is really well known for.
I hope that the gallery continues to grow and draws new interest in art from locals,
but we need your financial support especially these days, so come purchase some amazing artwork, so we can keep supporting Philadelphia Artists!

- BOSTON STREET GALLERY
Philadelphia, Pa.19125
215.739.4999
[email protected]
www.bostonstreetartgallery.com
The gallery is located in the Fishtown area,
the newest and hottest area of PHILADELHIA . Fishtown, has emerged as Philly’s truest harbor of artistic, culinary and musical action.
.........COME VISIT ! !
GALLERY HOURS :
Friday
12 - 6 pm
Saturday
12-5 PM
* OR BY APPOINTMENT *
215.739.4999
or email
[email protected]
Fishtown is a neighborhood in Philadelphia located immediately northeast of center city. The name "Fishtown" is derived from the area's former role as the center of the shad fishing industry on the Delaware river. The name comes from the fact that a number of 18th and early 19th centuries German and German-american families bought up the fishing rights on both sides of the Delaware River from Trenton Falls down to Cape May, N.J.