The Portal at City Hall isn't leaving after all. Here's what we know
The live video installation in the City Hall courtyard was set to go Oct. 29 when its permit ran out. Mayor Parker says a patron stepped in and the city is working on a long-term plan.
The Portal, the round video screen in the City Hall courtyard that lets people in Philadelphia see and wave at people in cities on other continents in real time, is staying for now. It had been set to leave on Oct. 29, Billy Penn reported.
"The Portal is staying and we're working on a long-term solution," Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said in an Instagram video, according to Billy Penn. Her office said the installation will remain at City Hall with no plans to leave soon.
For residents, it is a free attraction in the middle of the city's busiest public space, and a small case study in how City Hall handles temporary public art once a permit expires.
What happened
According to Billy Penn:
- The Portal's permit was ending, and the installation cost too much to keep running. Maintenance and internet connectivity cost about $30,000 a year.
- A "very generous patron" stepped up to support it, and the city then said it would stay.
- Billy Penn did not name the patron, and the city has not said publicly how long the support lasts.
- The Portal currently links to places in Lithuania, Poland, Ireland, Brazil, the United Kingdom and the Philippines.
The installation arrived in the City Hall courtyard in April 2025, according to Visit Philadelphia. It was created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys and connects cities through a live video feed that runs around the clock, the tourism agency says.
What we don't know yet
- Who pays, and for how long. The city described the arrangement as a stopgap while it works on a long-term solution. Neither the cost to the city, if any, nor the terms of a new permit have been released.
- Whether Council has a role. Our records show no City Council bill or resolution about the Portal. A temporary installation on city property does not by itself require Council action. A longer-term agreement for use of city property could, depending on its form. Council approved a similar kind of deal at its Oct. 29 session, when it passed a five-year concession for the Saucer building in nearby Love Park (our story).
- What the long-term plan looks like. The mayor's office has not said whether that means a permanent spot, a new sponsor or a different location.
What's next
We will watch for a permit, agreement or Council measure on the Portal and add it to our records if one is filed. Council's next stated meeting is Nov. 12.