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(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) selected eight communities across Massachusetts – Belchertown, Chelmsford, Clinton, Everett, Montague, Peabody, Somerville, and Southbridge – after a competitive process for Making it Public 2024, a training offered in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Arts & Culture Department
This month, the municipalities will begin their first of five free virtual workshop trainings that are inspired by Forecast Public Art (FPA) and facilitated by MAPC to equip administrators in strengthening local capacity to support, create, and promote more vibrant and just public art making.
At the conclusion of the training, municipal administrators will have drafted their own calls for temporary public art and understand how to manage the call process within the context of Massachusetts. Participating municipalities also receive a $15,000 grant from NEFA to fund artists selected through these calls for art.
“Municipalities are really buying into the Making it Public process, and we’re proud to see the level of engagement and excitement build from our cities and towns over these past few years,” said Annis Sengupta, director of arts and culture at MAPC. “The trainings will help municipalities strengthen their relationships with local artists and result in a tangible piece of art in the community.”
“NEFA is excited to welcome Belchertown, Chelmsford, Clinton, Everett, Montague, Peabody, Somerville, and Southbridge into our third MIP cohort. These municipalities represent diverse communities and perspectives from across Massachusetts united by a shared commitment to creating more equitable practices for supporting public art,” shared Jessica Wong Camhi, NEFA’s Interim Program Manager, Public Art.
Making it Public covers practical and tactical subject matters for administrators at all stages of their career facilitating public art, such as stakeholder considerations, community engagement, preparing a call-for-artists, equitable selection processes, contracting, and more.
A parallel track of the program, Making it Public for Massachusetts Artists, will take place from March 12 through April 9. Artists in Massachusetts of all disciplines interested in exploring and expanding their public art making practice can register for this free program on NEFA’s website through February 23: https://www.nefa.org/MakingItPublic.
NEFA strongly encourages artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), individuals who are rooted in rural communities, and/or those who may have experienced other barriers to accessing professional development opportunities to consider participating in Making it Public for Artists.
About MAPC
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the regional planning agency serving the people who live and work in the 101 cities and towns of Metropolitan Boston. Our mission is to promote smart growth and regional collaboration. Through our Arts & Culture Department, we advance the policy and planning conditions that allow arts and culture to thrive. MetroCommon 2050, Greater Boston’s regional land use and policy plan, guides our work as we engage the public in responsible stewardship of our region’s future.
About NEFA
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 each other and their audiences; 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 www.nefa.org.
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