In 2009 Krista Peel and Zak Starer were looking to find a building in Philadelphia where they could open an art organization. They found what they were looking for on Huntingdon Street in East Kensington; a 1,700-square-foot, three-story row house. Every year the space is opened up to artists from all over the world (after being selected during a two-month open call) who are chosen to live in the hotel and given a chance to really focus on their craft in an atmosphere that they may not have been presented with before (a sort of Real World for artists, without the drama). In 2011 it was home to artists from Seoul, San Francisco, New York, LA, New Orleans and Mexico. Residents of East Kensington know that the Philadelphia Art Hotel has been a positive, progressive addition to an area with a less than favorable reputation. While the location is completely unexpected, considering that it’s located in East Kensington, PAH itself is an incredibly modern part of the neighborhood.