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(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) welcomes 10 municipalities across Massachusetts – Andover, Ashfield, Beverly, Chelsea, Cohasset, Gloucester, Malden, Northfield, Pittsfield, and Worcester – to Making it Public 2025, a training offered in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Arts & Culture Department.
"Making It Public equips municipalities with the tools to integrate public art as a meaningful part of civic life. By supporting local leaders in creating equitable processes, the program fosters the opportunity for public art to reflect and celebrate the diverse identities and stories of communities across Massachusetts," said Annis Sengupta, director of arts and culture at MAPC.
The Making It Public curriculum incorporates the use of grant agreements and trains municipalities in practices to commission public art that are in alignment with the principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability in public procurement. At the conclusion of the training, municipal administrators will draft 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.
“NEFA is proud to partner with MAPC on Making Public,” said Kim Szeto, NEFA’s senior program director, public art. “For the fourth year, this program allows us to support the capacity building and infrastructure of local municipalities across the Commonwealth who are working to foster more vibrant and just communities through public art.”
A parallel track of the program, Making it Public for Massachusetts Artists, will be offered in partnership with Forecast Public Art from March 12 through April 9. Artists of all disciplines in Massachusetts interested in exploring and expanding their public art-making practice can register for this free program on NEFA’s website through February 23, 2025. NEFA strongly encourages artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), individuals 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 Massachusetts 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.