C.I.T.Y. Trust Center

C.I.T.Y. Trust Center presents

The Preview

A raw and refined gallery experience around arts, community and empowerment.

Seven Philadelphia visual artists, led by featured artist Justin Michael Wadlington.

See the photos

What we accomplished

The Preview, Friday, October 9, 2026, at The 1910.

  • 250+guests in under 10 days
  • 7Philadelphia visual artists
  • 1piece each, and the story behind it

250+ guests in under 10 days. Seven Philadelphia visual artists. One piece each, and the story behind it.

  • Sponsored by Shay by Le Portier.
  • Wolfpack Management presents Flame & Flavor. Fire built. Flavor driven.
  • Alter & Build Collective, our community build partners, helped build the set for The Preview.
  • The space was made possible by our partner YD Home.
Become a memberNext: CITY Trust Global

Next up · CITY Trust Global · Partner event

18th Annual Winter Awards Dinner & Business Roundtable

With The African and Caribbean Business Council

  • November 20 and 21
  • Clarion Hotel · 76 Industrial Hwy, Essington, PA 19029
25
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Next gallery night: date coming soon. Members hear it first. Become a member

Sign up as one of our future exhibitors

  • Le Portier crestSponsored byShay by Le Portier
  • Wolfpack Management shieldFlame & Flavor logo. Fire built, flavor driven.Wolfpack Management presentsFlame & Flavor
The Preview Fundraiser flyer: an inaugural industrial art experience and conversation about community and empowerment. Friday, October 9, 2026, 6 to 10 PM, 1910 Washington Ave, Philadelphia.
The fundraiser flyer · 1 of 8

Be in the room for the next one.

A new set of Philadelphia artists every month. Members hear every date first.

Become a member See what's next

One piece.The story behind it.

Seven Philadelphia visual artists at The 1910, led by featured artist Justin Michael Wadlington. Each shows a single work and tells you what inspired it.

The Preview recognition card: From Philadelphia. To Gracie Mansion. Justin Michael Wadlington, Blind Eye Visions, in a black-and-white portrait. His solo exhibition Last Train to Gracie ran at Gracie Mansion from August 2025 to January 2026. Friday, October 9, 2026, 6 to 10 PM, 1910 Washington Ave, Philadelphia.

Featured artist

Justin Michael Wadlington

Blind Eye Visions

Born and raised in Southwest Philadelphia, Justin lost vision in his left eye at five. He taught himself to draw and paint, developing pencil sketches into full-scale acrylic portraits.

Solo exhibition
Last Train to Gracie, Gracie Mansion, August 2025 to January 2026
Selected exhibitions
The New York Academy of Art · The FLAG Art Foundation
Selected collectors
Shaquille O'Neal · Brooke Shields · Glenn Fuhrman · Ray Lewis
At The Preview
King AgamemBron's Chamber (2026)

“The time is always Now.”

Seven Philadelphia visual artists

  1. 01Justin Michael Wadlington
  2. 02Brian Ward
  3. 03THE WARDS
  4. 04Maia Engel
  5. 05Larae Christie
  6. 06Rykeise
  7. 07Saeed Briscoe X Ydaly Mer
  8. Mello DixonSpecial feature
The Preview recognition card: From Philadelphia. To Gracie Mansion. Justin Michael Wadlington, Blind Eye Visions, in a black-and-white portrait. His solo exhibition Last Train to Gracie ran at Gracie Mansion from August 2025 to January 2026. Friday, October 9, 2026, 6 to 10 PM, 1910 Washington Ave, Philadelphia.

Featured artist

Justin Michael Wadlington

Blind Eye Visions

1 of 6

The curators show too: Saeed Briscoe and Ydaly Mer curated The Preview and are exhibiting artists as well.

Meet the curators
  • Le Portier crestSponsored byShay by Le PortierFrom Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe.
  • Wolfpack Management shieldFlame & Flavor logo. Fire built, flavor driven.Wolfpack Management presentsFlame & FlavorFire built. Flavor driven. Chef Diane previews Flame & Flavor for Philadelphia.
  • YD Home logoYD Home
  • Ramblei logoRamblei
  • That's The Plan Productions logoThat's The Plan Productions
  • Reeph Rosay, The Plugdealer logoReeph Rosay, The Plugdealer
  • Dunrite Contractors logoDunrite Contractors
  • Halal Gear 1st logoHalal Gear 1st
  • African and Caribbean Business Council
  • Mont Brown
  • The Kickback
  • Alter & Build CollectiveCommunity build partners

Want your name beside theirs? See the sponsorship levels

Curated bytwo artists.

Saeed Briscoe and Ydaly Mer curated The Preview: seven Philadelphia visual artists, one piece each, and the story behind it. Both are showing work of their own on the night.

The Preview, Curator Edition cover: Saeed Briscoe, SaeedsVP, curator of The Preview, in a black-and-white portrait with the word Curator brushed in green. Art. Space. Community. Friday, October 9, 2026, 6 to 10 PM, 1910 Washington Ave, Philadelphia.

01 / 02Curator Edition

SaeedBriscoe.

Curator of The Preview · SaeedsVP

Art.Space.Community.

“Big visions start small, and each step matters.”
Saeed Briscoe
The Preview, Co-Curator Edition cover: Ydaly Mer, artist and co-curator of The Preview, seated in a black-and-white portrait with the word Co-Curator brushed in green. Vulnerability. Resilience. Human connection. Friday, October 9, 2026, 6 to 10 PM, 1910 Washington Ave, Philadelphia.

02 / 02Co-Curator Edition

YdalyMer.

Artist + Co-Curator of The Preview

Vulnerability.Resilience.Human connection.

Rooted in emotion and personal experience, Mer's work blends contemporary, abstract and surrealist undertones.

“I definitely value strategic intelligence over everything else.”
Ydaly Mer

Curator notes · The philosophy

Houses intohomes.

“Our philosophy is simple: we turn houses into homes by allowing our collectors to reimagine their spaces with us.”

It allows us to create community for generations to come.

SaeedsVP

The Preview, Partner Edition cover: Mont Brown, CITY Trust Center Partner, in a black-and-white portrait with the words All Action brushed in green. Music. Fashion. Community. Founder of the Kickback and Community Service. Friday, October 9, 2026, 6 to 10 PM, 1910 Washington Ave, Philadelphia.

In partnership withPartner Edition

MontBrown.

Chief Talent & Industry Officer

Music.Fashion.Community.

Founder of the Kickback and Community Service.

All action.

Every basecovered.

C.I.T.Y. stands for Culture, Innovation, Technology and Youth. These are the people who carry it. Each one covers a base of their own.

  • Culture
  • Innovation
  • Technology
  • Youth

Open any cover to read it. More covers join this wall as they are released.

The calendar

What's next

A new set of Philadelphia visual artists every month, and CITY Trust Global nights with our partners. RSVP for the next one now.

NOV

20

CITY Trust Global · Partner event

18th Annual Winter Awards Dinner & Business Roundtable

Hosted by The African and Caribbean Business Council

  • November 20 and 21
  • Clarion Hotel · 76 Industrial Hwy, Essington, PA 19029

CITY Trust Center joins Dr. Azuka Anyiam and the African and Caribbean Business Council, with partners from across Africa and the Caribbean. From the city to beyond. RSVP with CITY Trust and we will send you the details.

  • Theme: Diaspora as an Engine for the Economic Development of Africa and the Caribbean
  • Business Roundtable: November 20 and 21, 9 AM to 3 PM
  • VIP Reception: November 21, 6 to 7 PM
  • Awards Dinner: November 21, 7 PM to midnight
  • ACBC Awards for Excellence, Innovation, Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Community Service
Book a room at the group rate

Bring your people

Send this to someone who should be in the room.

The Preview was a fundraiser for the C.I.T.Y. Trust Hub for Humanity Legacy Center, a registered nonprofit. Give · Sponsor a night