2019 has been an exciting year for public art at NEFA! We shared learnings and stories from the pilot phase of Creative City and through the generous support of our funding partners at the Barr Foundation, we launched the next iteration of the program: Creative City Boston. We tried something new with Fund for the Arts and have had the JOY of seeing the power of convening transform into collaboration. And we are launching a NEW funding opportunity, the Public Art Learning Fund to support the professional development of public artists across New England.
Photo credit: Assets for Artists' Building Knowledge and Networks for Performing Artists workshop, by Kim Szeto/NEFA
New Grant Opportunity:
Public Art Learning Fund
Public Art Learning Fundprovides small grants of $500 to $2000 to support professional development opportunities for New England artists to strengthen their public art practices. Through the Public Art Learning Fund, NEFA intends to foster the continued development of more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant public spaces and public life throughout New England.
Photo credit: Creative City pilot round grantee Chavi Bansal, by Kim Szeto/NEFA
Announcing Creative City Boston Finalists
The Public Art team at NEFA is thrilled to announce the18 finalist projectsfor Creative City Boston’s 2020 cohort. Each finalist receives a $1,500 finalist award, is paired with a program advisor to further develop their project, and is invited to submit a full project proposal by October 21, 2019.
A little over a year ago NEFA made two-year grants to five organizations to support continued work in strengthening the public art field in Boston. Over the course of 2019, this cohort has been gathering to explore the concept of spatial justice, discuss the unique challenges and opportunities within the field of public art today, and more. We shared in our last newsletter, that our hope is to use this time to explore together and to be open to what is possible when we bring our collective thinking and ideas to the table.
In conjunction with the Joy ++ Parade, DS4SI is also hostingInPublic,
a two-day public making event, Sept 13-14that will merge with the JOY++ parade on Saturday afternoon in Uphams Corner.
Through this unique collaboration, both N+T and DS4SI are creating more opportunities for local artists to creatively activate public spaces across the city of Boston. We look forward to seeing what else is possible in the upcoming year!
Public Art Resources
Creative City Report
Earlier this year NEFA published a report highlighting learnings and stories from the first three years of the Creative City pilot program.
Programs Supporting Art in the Public Realm: A National Field Scan
A complimentary publication, the National Field Scan highlights public art and community-based arts and cultural initiatives, as well as professional development programs across the country. Commissioned by theBarr Foundation, Animating Democracy, a program ofAmericans for the Arts, initially compiled this field scan as part of the Creative City Learning Assessment.
In addition to publishing the Creative City report, we produced a series of seven short videos in partnership withHairpin HHD. Watch what can happen when Boston area artists are supported to take risks, infuse Boston’s landscape with art, and build relationships with area community organizations at the same time.
The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation. NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to networks and knowledge-building opportunities; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations.Learn more at nefa.org.
