9 Reasons Why You Should Apply for Vanguard Philadelphia

The next stop for Vanguard, Next City’s annual experiential gathering for urban leaders, is Philadelphia. The conference is taking place Oct. 6-9 and we’ve already started recruiting for this year’s cohort — applications officially close on April 21.

Vanguards, what we call participants and alumni of our annual event, will experience an immersive four days — exploring the city through thoughtfully curated tours and participating in panel discussions that will delve into this year’s theme: eliminating poverty.

Here are 9 reasons you should apply for this year’s convening.

1. Experience Philadelphia, the sixth-most populous city in the United States, known for its arts, culture, murals, parks, rivers, walkability and history.

2. Enjoy an opening reception at one of the best rooftops in the city, which has panoramic views spanning from West Philly to South Jersey.

3. Learn from a variety of Philly-based experts — in urban planning, community development, housing, food justice and more — about what’s working and what’s not in their fields of practice, particularly as it relates to eliminating poverty.

4. Tour a commercial corridor with Kensington Corridor Trust, a community-controlled commercial real estate developer. If you want to learn more about the trust before arriving in Philly, Next City’s Oscar Perry Abello has covered KCT and its work to “maintain local control of property use and values in perpetuity while using profit to reinvest for the existing community.”

5. Get to know dozens of other rising urban leaders in your generation, all doing amazing work in cities across North America and beyond. Plus, you’ll connect with Vanguard alum, Next City staff and some of our board members.

6. Learn about Philly’s history. The city was the first capital city and is called the birthplace of the U.S. because it’s where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 and the Constitution was signed in 1787. In addition to this early history, we’ll also explore how the city got to the point where it’s one of the poorest cities in the country.

7. Form deep and lasting connections within an influential network of your peers. As one Vanguard alum shared: “The Vanguard conference is a transformative experience that stands out for its impact and intentionality. The team’s thoughtful approach to curating the right people in each room led to meaningful exchanges, where ideas and solutions were not only shared but are poised to ripple out across the country. This investment extends far beyond the event itself — empowering a network of changemakers and driving tangible results in communities nationwide.”

8. Tour the city’s historic Chinatown. Recently at the center of conversation as the Sixers contemplated moving its arena, Philly’s Chinatown has long been under threat as developers attempt to build. We’ll learn about how residents and business owners in this part of the city have fought back and thrived through banding together as a community.

9. Experience a different type of conference. During Vanguard, we’ll bounce around the city, with conversations taking place in spaces where the action is happening. Think: hearing a historic overview of the city in a history museum, followed by a conversation about food access in a community garden. We want to immerse you into the city.