Press Release: 3/20/2026

Public Art Projects Affirm More Equitable Public Spaces Across Massachusetts

 



Sixteen New Projects Supported by NEFA’s Public Art Program



Mar 19, 2026



Public Art for Spatial Justice-supported SHADE in Cambridge, MA | photo by John Morrison, Collective Endeavor Arts, Architecture and Design, August 2025



(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is proud to announce the recipients of the Public Art for Spatial Justice (PASJ) grant. Totaling $460,000, these 16 grants support public art projects that create more just, vibrant, and welcoming public spaces across Massachusetts.



NEFA’s PASJ program supports public artmaking that allows communities to see, feel, and experience spatial justice in the present while working toward more just futures for public spaces and public culture. Today, PASJ remains a critical investment in community-centered creativity across Massachusetts, having supported 107 projects in a variety of artistic disciplines, through $2,259,000 in grants since 2020. 



“Public Art for Spatial Justice affirms the freedoms to create, access, express and share arts and cultures are a human right,” said Harold Steward, executive director of NEFA. “This work is essential to more equitable and vibrant public spaces, and we recognize that these freedoms aren't equitably afforded to all. On behalf of NEFA, I congratulate each grantee on this milestone and look forward to the projects. I also want to acknowledge the important partnership with the Barr Foundation on this work.”



"We believe public spaces can shape a person’s sense of belonging within a community,” said Francisco Torres, program officer for Arts + Creativity at the Barr Foundation. "Through Public Art for Spatial Justice, artists are working with residents to transform public spaces, so they reflect the cultures, stories, and aspirations of the people who live there. Barr is proud to partner with NEFA in supporting artists who are helping reimagine public spaces as more vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming for all."



“The arts are a powerful tool for positive change, and public art has the power to shift public culture and change the future,” said Kim Szeto, senior program director, Public Art. “Some of this year’s recipients are boldly anchoring the right to simply be and thrive in public, by centering unhoused communities as well as immigrant communities affected by tactics of fear and violence. Other recipients are celebrating diverse stories from within community and creating opportunities for connection through dance, music, and storytelling.” 



This year's PASJ project grants range from $15,000 to $30,000. Learn more about each project: 





NEFA’s Public Art program is made possible with funding from the Barr Foundation and the Fund for the Arts at NEFA.



In a park, at a wooden bench with matching tables atop, kids paint clay pots with marker paints.



Public Art for Spatial Justice-supported Pao Arts Center’s Experience Chinatown Arts Festival attended by 2000 people | photo by Olivia Moon Photography, 2025



ABOUT NEFA



The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities, fostering equitable access to the arts and enriching the cultural landscape in New England and across the United States. Founded in 1976, NEFA has grown into a vital national and international leader, advancing opportunities for artists and strengthening the arts infrastructure through grantmaking, partnerships, convenings, and knowledge sharing.  



NEFA’s work is made possible through generous support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the six New England state arts agencies, private foundations, corporations, and individual donors. As NEFA approaches its 50th anniversary in 2026, it continues to lead with creativity, resilience, and vision, affirming the vital role of the arts in civic life and advancing a cultural landscape where all people have equitable access to artistic expression. www.nefa.org.  



Contact: Ann Wicks, 617-423-1390