NYC DOT Launches Art Partners Initiative Seeking Community Organizations to Exhibit Public Artworks on City Property

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 5, 2025

Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov

NYC DOT Launches Art Partners Initiative Seeking Community Organizations to Exhibit Public Artworks on City Property

Application for NYC DOT Art Partners Opens Today To Inspire Your Community Through Public Art

Interested Partners May Apply To Exhibit Temporary Artwork Such As Murals or Sculptures on NYC DOT Property in Collaboration With Professional Artists

NEW YORK – New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the NYC DOT Art Partners initiative with a call for community partners to exhibit temporary public artwork on NYC DOT properties across the city. The NYC DOT Art Partners initiative allows interested community-based organizations to install temporary, site-responsive public art on NYC DOT infrastructure, including medians, triangles, sidewalks, and fully pedestrianized asphalt spaces. The NYC DOT Art Partners initiative builds on NYC DOT Art’s mission to enhance quality of life for all New Yorkers. Public art, performances, and cultural programming presented on NYC DOT properties makes our streets more attractive and vibrant while expanding access to the arts. Partner organizations are responsible for funding approved projects. The Request for Proposals (RFP) opens February 5, 2025, with a rolling deadline. The agency also released an updated Site Selection Guide to provide additional information on eligible site types.

“Public art helps inspire New Yorkers, build community, and create welcoming public spaces. NYC DOT Art Partners is a creative way to support the mission of local organizations while bringing New Yorkers together,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We encourage all community-based organizations to apply to exhibit public artwork in their neighborhoods.”

“Public art is an essential part of what makes New York's open spaces welcoming, dynamic, and reflective of their communities,” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “DOT's Art Partners Initiative is an amazing way for neighborhood-based organizations to work with artists and residents to activate medians, sidewalks, and other pedestrian spaces with installations that speak to the local community. Public artwork that meaningfully invites local residents into the creation process can contribute so much to a safer, more vibrant cityscape - so we encourage everyone to consider participating in this exciting initiative!”

Interested partner organizations are invited to propose NYC DOT-owned infrastructure within their communities as potential sites for temporary art. If eligible for public art, locations can serve as canvases and foundations for murals, projections, sculptures, and other art installations. NYC DOT may permit artwork for display up to 11 months. Examples of partner organizations include business improvement districts, nonprofits, art galleries, artist-in-residence programs, arts councils, museums, cultural institutions, community centers, and other nonprofit community-based organizations.

NYC DOT Art will host a webinar in March for interested organizations to learn about the NYC DOT Art Partners initiative. This webinar will review the RFP for partner organizations to exhibit temporary artwork on NYC DOT property. Artwork can be newly commissioned or already existing. NYC DOT Art will discuss the expectations for partner organizations and review the application process. Organizations can learn more at: nyc.gov/dotart. In 2024, NYC DOT Art worked with almost 20 partner organizations to permit more than 28 temporary art installations, including murals, sculptures, fence interventions, electrified artwork, and signage across all five boroughs.

Additional NYC DOT Art Opportunities for Artists

Open call for Car-Free Earth Day Art Interventions | Call for Artists: Request for Proposals (open now, closes February 9 at midnight): Application & overview of RFP.

Open call for muralists on Submittable (launching February 5, closes March 16 at midnight): Muralist Application & overview of Request For Qualifications (RFQ).

About NYC DOT Art

New York City Department of Transportation Art (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.

The program also extends city funding to local nonprofit groups and artists, centering equity by prioritizing temporary art installations in underserved communities. These efforts increase access to arts and cultural resources while providing paid opportunities to New York City’s creative sector. Since 2008, NYC DOT Art has produced more than 475 temporary artworks citywide, with 114 installations during Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez’s leadership.

In addition, NYC DOT Art 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.

For more information about NYC DOT Art, visit nyc.gov/dotart and follow on @nyc_dotart Instagram. Anyone can view photos of NYC DOT Art installations on Flickr.

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