NYC DOT - NYC DOT Art

NYC DOT’s public art program—NYC DOT Art—partners with community-based nonprofit organizations and
professional artists to present temporary public artwork on eligible NYC DOT infrastructure throughout the five
boroughs. Asphalt, bridges, fences, jersey barriers, medians, plazas, sidewalks, step streets, streetlight poles,
and triangles serve as canvases and foundations for temporary murals, projections, sculptures, and interventions.

NYC DOT Art also coordinates conservation and maintenance of NYC DOT’s permanent art collection and collaborates with
the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Percent for Art Program to commission permanent art as part of the
Percent for Art law.

Current Opportunities

» Apply to
NYC DOT Art Partners (pdf) and be sure to review the Site Selection Guide (pdf)
before
applying – Deadline: Rolling

» Save the date for the NYC DOT Art
Partners Webinar on Zoom March 12, 2025 at 12pm
before
applying – Deadline: Rolling

» Mural Artist RFQ on
Submittable – Deadline: Sunday, March 16, 2025 by 11:59 pm EST

Connect with NYC DOT Art

View photos of temporary art installations and permanent art on Flickr

Sign up for the NYC DOT Art
e-newsletter

Contact:
arts@dot.nyc.gov

Follow @nyc_dotart on Instagram

Temporary Art Program

NYC DOT Art has permitted over 475 temporary public art installations citywide and continues to pursue unique
public art installations in collaboration with a diverse body of artists and partner organizations. Temporary
art is only permitted in fully pedestrianized spaces for up to 11 months.

Interested organizations and artists are invited to submit proposals and qualifications in response to open calls
for both NYC DOT-funded initiatives and self-funded opportunities.

All submissions are reviewed by the NYC DOT Art Advisory Committee, a panel of outside arts professionals
representing varying disciplines and all five boroughs, and at times an open call-specific panel, based on the
following criteria: public safety, artistic merit, site suitability and artwork durability.

NYC DOT Art Partners (Self-Funded)

Inspire your community through public art.

NYC DOT Art Partners (formerly “Arterventions”) invites community-based organizations to exhibit
temporary artwork such as murals, sculptures, or interventions on NYC DOT property in collaboration with
professional artists.

Apply to NYC DOT Art
Partners – Deadline: Rolling
Save the date for the NYC DOT Art
Partners Webinar on Zoom March 12, 2025 at 12pm

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All

Eligibility

Examples of partner organizations include arts and community-based organizations, Business
Improvement Districts, nonprofits, galleries, artist-in-residence programs, arts councils,
museums, cultural institutions, community centers, and other nonprofit community-based
organizations. Artists are ineligible to apply without the support of a partner
organization.

Requirements

Partner organizations may request necessary permits to display temporary artwork that is
newly commissioned or existing. Installations typically remain on display for three to six
months, with a maximum display period of 11 months. Partner organizations are responsible
for funding these projects, selecting the artist and artwork, project management, carrying
insurance, signing a legal agreement, and maintaining artwork during the display period.

Support

Partner organizations are encouraged to review the Site
Selection Guide before proposing potential sites and may contact us at arts@dot.nyc.gov to confirm site ownership in advance
of submission. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Spectrum by Mirari Studio from QDSinternational in partnership with Flatiron Nomad
Partnership

NYC DOT Art Opportunities (NYC DOT-Funded)

Murals

The Beauty of Four Life Essentials asphalt art murals by Chenlin Cai

NYC DOT Art commissions artists to design and paint temporary murals onto fully pedestrianized asphalt spaces,
concrete jersey barriers, and other eligible NYC DOT infrastructure. Professional artists may apply to NYC DOT
Art’s biennial open call soliciting qualifications to be selected for inclusion in an artist registry, and the
opportunity to be short-listed to create a proposal for specific mural opportunities. Selected artists receive a
project fee to execute the mural.

Organizations interested in commissioning self-funded asphalt art on a self-selected site should apply through
NYC DOT Art Partners.

Learn more about our open call for
mural artists (pdf).
Apply for our
Mural Artist RFQ via Submittable – Deadline: Sunday, March
16, 2025 by 11:59 pm EST

Installations at NYC DOT Events

Broadway Bouquet by Terrain Work

NYC DOT hosts large-scale, car-free events, such as Summer Streets
and Car-Free Earth Day, to reimagine the streets of New York City
as more inviting public spaces without the noise and congestion of cars.

NYC DOT may commission interactive public art installations for designated sites along an event route. Artwork
must be removed post event hours. Additional details provided in event-specific open call.

Digital Illustrations

NYC Art Stop Letters designed by Ebony Bolt

NYC DOT Art commissions artists to design digital illustrations for a variety of projects including aluminum
street signage, printed vinyl fence wraps, NYC DOT Art Display Cases, NYC Art Stop Letters, or other special
projects.

Professional artists may apply to NYC DOT Art’s biennial open call soliciting qualifications to be selected for
inclusion in an artist registry, and the opportunity to be short-listed to create a proposal. for specific
digital illustration opportunities. Selected artists receive a project fee to execute the project.

Community Commissions

Community Commissions is a signature NYC DOT Art initiative in which the agency collaborates with
community-based organizations to commission artists to design and install temporary public art on NYC
DOT infrastructure citywide.

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Current Partners & Artists

Staten Island

Artist: Mollie Hosmer-Dillard

Site: Victory Boulevard and Corson Avenue

Partner: On Your Mark

Bronx

Artist:Yafatou
Sarr

Site: Grand Concourse and East Fordham Road

Partner Organization: Concourse House, Home for Women and
Their Children

Brooklyn

Artist: Alumbra

Site: Washington Avenue and Empire Boulevard

Partner Organization: I AM
Caribbeing

Manhattan

Artist: Fitgi
Saint-Louis

Site: West 124 Street and Lenox Avenue

Partner Organization: West Harlem
Art
Fund

Queens

Artist: IMAGINE (aka Sneha
Shrestha)

Site: Diversity Plaza at Roosevelt Avenue and Broadway

Partner Organization: Rubin
Museum
of Himalayan Art

Past Partners & Artists

View
photos of past Community Commissions art installations on Flickr

Background

Community-based partners are identified by NYC DOT through an open call based on their
experience planning public programs or public art, the ability to monitor and maintain the
artwork, the
capacity to hold liability insurance, and a direct connection to the site.

NYC DOT identifies priority sites for temporary art that are: in need of beautification,
large enough to accommodate artwork, and accessible to a diverse audience.

An open call is released in partnership with community partners to solicit proposals from
professional artists for a list of priority sites. NYC DOT collaborates with selected
artists to implement projects within one year of approval. In addition to a project fee, NYC
DOT
provides engineering support for sculptural installations.

Permanent Art Collection

NYC DOT collaborates with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) to commission permanent public
art as part of capital construction projects dictated by the Percent for Art ordinance. NYC DOT is
responsible for managing and maintaining its permanent art collection.

Visit the DCLA’s
Percent for Art Program’s website

View NYC
DOT Art’s permanent art collection (pdf)

Public Access asphalt art mural by Mollie Hosmer-Dillard

Sunbather sculpture by Ohad Meromi