2024 News and Press Releases - DCLA

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Artist Certification

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News and Press Releases

Employment Opportunities

Annual Reports

Request Agency Logo

Accessibility

FOIL Requests

Rule Making

Contact Us


2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | Archives

In 2024, DCLA Continues to "Get Art Done" and Expand Cultural Access for All New Yorkers
With the largest-ever city investment in DCLA as part of the FY25 budget, the agency continued to grow public art initiatives and invest in cultural programming that uplifts residents in every corner of the city.
December 20, 2024
Learn more about DCLA's 2024 accomplishments.

Mayor Adams and Commissioner Cumbo Announce "NYC Create in Place"
A new program to safeguard NYC's community-based cultural and creative spaces, NYC Create in Place will provide case management, assistance with navigating resources, advocacy, and other tools to assist cultural organizations at risk of losing space or looking to expand or relocate.
December 19, 2024
Learn more about the NYC Create in Place.

New York City Announces 2024-25 Public Artists in Residence
Over the next 12 months, the artists will bring their creative practices to bear on a range of public challenges, including discrimination; youth in detention; increasing utilization of the Fair Fares program for discount public transit; and racial equity.
December 13, 2024
Learn more about the new PAIRs.

New Artwork Featuring Historic Photos of East Harlem Residents and the Young Lords Installed in New NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Floodwall
Artist Miguel Luciano’s public artwork - commissioned through the Percent for Art program - incorporates historic photos by renowned photographer Hiram Maristany (1945-2022), a lifelong resident of East Harlem, a founding member of the Young Lords, and their official photographer.
December 3, 2024
Learn more about the new artwork.

"Triumph of the Human Spirit Day" Honors the African Burial Ground in Lower Manhattan and Celebrates the Legacy of the African Diaspora in New York City
Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; artist Dr. Lorenzo Pace; the African Burial Ground National Monument; and other local leaders celebrated the annual Triumph of the Human Spirit Day, marking 24 years since Dr. Pace’s monumental tribute to the African Burial Ground was installed in Manhattan’s Foley Square.
October 10, 2024
Read more about this year's Triumph of the Human Spirit Day.

Materials for the Arts Presents "some part of me lived here before," a New Exhibition by MFTA Artist-in-Residence Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya
At Materials for the Arts, an artist known for colossal murals and public artworks turns inwards to produce suspended sculptures and assemblages sourced from her ancestral Thailand, on view through January 10, 2025.
October 8, 2024
Learn more about Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya's new exhibition.

City Breaks Ground on Major Restoration of Weeksville Heritage Center's Hunterfly Road Houses
DCLA and the NYC Department of Design and Construction announced the start of a $3.9 million restoration project for the historic Hunterfly Road Houses in the Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn.
October 3, 2024
Learn more about Weeksville's restoration project.

Materials for the Arts Kicks Off Annual "Back to School Shopping Spree," Providing Free Supplies to NYC Public School Teachers
Throughout September, MFTA encourages teachers to stock up with free supplies as students return to the classroom. While MFTA proudly serves public school teachers year round, the Back to School Shopping Spree is an opportunity to stock up on free supplies and reacquaint educators with MFTA’s wide range of programs and services.
September 10, 2024
Read more about MFTA's Back to School Shopping Spree.

NYC School Construction Authority’s Public Art for Public Schools to Unveil 21 New Permanent Artworks in Public Schools throughout New York City by Celebrated Artists
In partnership with the NYC School Construction Authority, DCLA announces new works commissioned through the NYC Percent for Art program.
September 4, 2024
Learn more about the artworks in public schools.

Commissioner Cumbo Announces $213 Million in New Funding for Capital Projects at 80 Cultural Nonprofits Citywide
$213.8 Million in New Investments Are Part of the FY25 Adopted Earlier This Year, and Includes $117.1 Million From Mayor Adams Alongside Funds From the City Council and Borough Presidents Offices
August 22, 2024
Learn more about DCLA's FY25 capital funding.

City Breaks Ground on Major Outdoor Renovation Project for the Brooklyn Children's Museum
The project, made possible by more than $15 million in city funding, will ultimately create 20,000 square feet of accessible, outdoor, programmable space for young people and their families from across Brooklyn and all five boroughs.
August 13, 2024
Learn more about the Brooklyn Children's Museum project.

City Breaks Ground on a New, $21 Million Home for ABC No Rio
The new, energy efficient facility for the Lower East Side arts center will secure its legacy as a hub for community, art, and activism.
July 16, 2024
Learn more about ABC No Rio's new home.

Department of Cultural Affairs Releases Inaugural Gallery of Pre-approved “City Canvas” Artworks For Use On Protective Street Structures
The new, pre-approved artwork simplifies for process for site owners to turn protective structures on their properties into platforms for public art.
July 15, 2024
See the new City Canvas designs.

Commissioner Cumbo Joins City Partners to Break Ground on Major Renovation for Bronx Museum of the Arts
The $33 million renovation - largely funded by the City of New York - will reorient the main entrance toward the intersection of Grand Concourse and 165th Street and unify the Museum campus to create a continuous gallery loop.
July 11, 2024
Learn more about the Bronx Museum renovation.

Department of Cultural Affairs Launches Open Call for 2024 NYC Public Artists in Residence
PAIR - DCLA's pioneering artist residency program - places artists-in-residence with municipal agencies to address pressing civic and social challenges through creative practice.
July 11, 2024
Learn more about the PAIR open call.

Mayor Adams and Commissioner Cumbo Celebrate $53 Million Investment for City's Cultural Institutions, Totaling Record High $254 Million in Budget to Support Over 1,000 Cultural Nonprofits Citywide
The FY25 Adopted Budget ensures cultural institutions will have what they need to engage New Yorkers and attract tourists and other visitors, as a critical part of the city’s economic and social wellbeing.
July 9, 2024
Read more about the city investment in culture.

Mayor Adams, Commissioner Cumbo Announce Free Summer Cultural Events Happening in All Five Boroughs
Much of this cultural programming is supported by the City of New York to be free, open, and accessible to all New Yorkers and visitors.
June 14, 2024
Learn more about what's happening this summer.

Materials for the Arts Presents Boundary Layer by MFTA Artist-in-Residence Kate Rusek
From practical materials like hard plastics and nylon, to more unconventional arts media, such as aluminum blinds, mascara wands, and microplastic dust, Kate Rusek's work explores the delicate balance between nature and artifice.
June 10, 2024
Learn more about Boundary Layer.

DCLA and New York Foundation for the Arts Announce Queens Arts Fund Recipients
138 Queens-Based Artists and Arts Groups Will Receive More than $450,000 in Grant Support
May 14, 2024
Learn more about this year's Queens Arts Fund.

JFK International Air Terminal Commissions Materials for the Arts to Create an Earth Month Installation for JFK's Terminal 4
“Future Flight,” by artist Natsuki Takauji is made of plastics sourced from Materials for the Arts, which diverts over 1.5 million pounds of supplies from landfills each year and provides them to support arts and culture across New York City.
April 26, 2024
Learn more about Natsuki Takauji's installation.

Mayor Adams, Speaker Adams Invest Over $22 Million in Cultural Organizations as Administration's Strong Fiscal Management Improves City's Budget Outlook
NYC Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced that the city will make multiple investments in NYC’s cultural sector over the next three fiscal years.
April 22, 2024
Learn more about the City's investment in culture.

City Hall and DCLA Unveil Installation Commemorating "Hip-Hop' s Greatest Day"
The installation features legendary hip-hop figures who gathered to participate in a photo shoot that payed homage homage to Art Kane’s “A Great Day in Harlem," which featured Jazz greats of an earlier generation.
April 9, 2024
Learn more about "Hip-Hop's Greatest Day."

City Begins $24 Million Renovation of Nuyorican Poets Cafe on Lower East Side
The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Design and Construction have announced the beginning of a $24.1 million City-funded renovation project for the Nuyorican Poets Cafe on Manhattan’s Lower East Side that will transform and expand the iconic institution’s home.
March 28, 2024
Learn more about the renovation project.

Mayor Adams, Commissioner Cumbo Revive Four She Built NYC Monuments
The revived program will honor Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trías in the Bronx, Elizabeth Jennings Graham in Manhattan, Billie Holiday in Queens, and Katherine Walker in Staten Island
March 28, 2024
Learn more about She Built NYC.

Downtown Art Reopens Following City-Funded Renovation Project
NYC Cultural Affairs and the NYC Department of Design and Construction announced the completion of a City-funded renovation of the Downtown Art Community Center, which added a new performing arts studio, upgraded kitchen, and other features.
March 19, 2024
Learn more about the renovation project.

Mayor Adams, Commissioner Cumbo Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Percent for Art Program, Launch Immersive Map and Revamped Website
The interactive map, which was developed in close collaboration between NYC Cultural Affairs, the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), and Esri, spotlights 40 permanent public art projects for New Yorkers to explore across the five boroughs. It also features an audio tour with the voices of figures who have supported the program since its inception.
March 15, 2024
Learn more about the 40th anniversary map and website.

Materials for the Arts Presents The Warehouse by MFTA Artist-in-Residence Woomin Kim
Featuring large-scale quilted works of MFTA’s space and materials, The Warehouse is a rich and vibrant homage to the creative spirit that pulsates throughout MFTA, capturing the essence of the space and the materials it houses.
February 29, 2024
Learn more about the exhibition.

Department of Cultural Affairs Announces $52.2 Million for More Than 1,000 Cultural Groups Citywide
The competitive Cultural Development Fund distributed grants to 76% of eligible applicants, supporting public cultural programming in all five boroughs
February 21, 2024
Learn more about this year's Cultural Development Fund.

Materials for the Arts Unveils New Logo and Visual Identity, Launches Campaign to Raise Awareness of the Wide-Ranging Services it Provides to NYC's Cultural Community
Materials for the Arts, a program of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, unveiled its first new logo and visual identity in 30 years, designed by Pentagram, at a ceremony in Times Square. MFTA is a part of DCLA's and the city’s broader commitment to supporting its cultural community and investing in affordable, accessible cultural programing while fostering a cleaner, greener, more creative NYC.
February 20, 2024
Learn more about MFTA's new logo and awareness campaign.

Commissioner Laurie Cumbo Joins Brooklyn Museum to Cut The Ribbon On Revamped Education Center
The city invested $6 million in the revamped, 9,500-square-foot space, which will allow the Museum to better serve the more than 50,000 visitors who participate in its education programs each year.
January 29, 2024
Learn more about the Toby Devan Lewis Education Center.

Two Percent for Art Projects Receive Unanimous Approval from the Public Design Commission
The PDC approved designs for the three-part art installation for the new 70 Mulberry building in Chinatown, and artist Justin Valdes’s proposal for a series of murals for Queens Public Library’s Arverne branch.
January 18, 2024
Learn more about the newly approved artworks.

Department of Cultural Affairs and Department of Buildings Launch New, Permanent City Canvas Program
The new program creates opportunities for artists, building owners, and communities to create site-specific artworks on the 300+ miles of protective structures currently installed across the five boroughs, and includes an open call for artists.
January 10, 2024
Learn more about City Canvas.

DCLA and DDC Break Ground on Nearly $13 Million Renovation Project to Modernize The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural Center on the Lower East Side
The renovation project will make the building fully ADA compliant and modernize the lobby and corridors for The Clemente’s 70,000 annual visitors.
January 8, 2024
Learn more about the project at The Clemente.