Public art projects
We commission artists for both permanent and temporary public art projects in the City.
We regularly release calls to artists for temporary and permanent public art on City property. The Boston Art Commission advocates for the creation of innovative and transformative art. We want to enrich the lives of Boston’s citizens through public art.
There is currently a call for artists to create a memorial that commemorates the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire of 1942. You can learn more about the call, or apply, online.
Our Public Art Projects
BCYF Vine Street Center Exterior Public Art
This project will complement the renovation of the Roxbury community center.
BCYF Vine Street Center Interior Public Art
The second of two projects to complement the renovation of BCYF Vine Street in Roxbury.
Dewitt Playground
This project will complement a renovation of Dewitt Playground at Madison Park High School in Roxbury.
Dudley Branch Library
The first of two public art projects that will complement the library renovation.
East Boston Police Station
This project will complement the future Area A-7 Police Station.
Engine 42 Roxbury Fire Station
The public artwork will complement the new fire station.
Jamaica Plain Branch Library
The project will complement recent renovations made to the library.
North Square Stories
North Square Stories complements the reconstruction of North Square in the North End.
Ruggles Corridor
This project will result in a series of accessible and unique artworks along the Ruggles Corridor in Roxbury.
The Percent for Art Program
The City released its first cultural plan, Boston Creates, in 2016. The plan called for more support for Boston’s arts and culture ecosystem.
The Percent for Art Program is a critical part of the planning process and addresses Goal 4 of the plan:
to integrate arts and culture into all aspects of civic life, inspiring all Bostonians to value, practice, and reap the benefits of creativity in their individual lives and in their communities
Through the program, we set aside one percent of the City’s annual capital borrowing budget for the commissioning of public art. The Percent for Art Program is administered by the:
- Arts and Culture, and
- Boston Art Commission.
- the Budget office
- Property Management, and
- other City Departments.
- See all the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture current open calls and applications.
