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Triennial Accelerator (Public Art Accelerator) 2025-2026

BOSTON PUBLIC ART TRIENNIAL INC

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Funding Amount

$1,500 participation stipend + up to $27,000 project funding

Deadline

August 1, 2026

115 days left

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Triennial Accelerator (Public Art Accelerator) 2025-2026

Program Type: Skill-building and grant-funding program for early-to-mid-career artists

Geographic Scope: Greater Boston area (within I-495 beltway), projects must be located in the City of Boston

Focus Areas:

  • Public art creation (object-based works)

  • Temporary, site-specific installations

  • Artists demonstrating need and interest in creating public art

  • Projects in Boston neighborhoods (projects in neighborhoods other than Downtown are encouraged)

    • Eligibility:

  • Greater Boston-based artists or those with ties to Greater Boston

  • Early-to-mid-career artists

  • Visual artists of all mediums welcome

  • Artists who have not previously made public art are welcome

  • NOT eligible: Artists who have previously worked with Boston Public Art Triennial (formerly Now+There) to create public art

  • Only artists who intend to present a project for funding are eligible to apply

  • Strong preference for BIPOC and LGBTQIA artists

    • What They Fund:

  • Temporary public art projects

  • Site-specific artwork installations

  • Object-based works

  • Projects developed through cohort learning model

    • What They Don't Fund:

  • Projects on curated sites (e.g., the Greenway, Esplanade)

  • Projects outside the City of Boston

  • Permanent installations

    • Program Structure:

  • Cohort Model: Four artists selected per cohort

  • Duration: 12 months total (October 2025 - October 2026)

  • Conceptual Design Phase: October 2025 - January 2026 (14 workshops, 3 hours each, typically Wednesdays 2-5 PM)

  • Implementation Phase: February 2026 - October 2026 (self-directed with staff support)

  • Attendance requirement: Must attend at least 12 of 14 workshops

    • Selection Criteria:

  • Openness and ability to engage audiences with empathy

  • Ability to scale work to the public domain

  • Benefit to artist's practice (demonstrates critical need for support)

  • Thoughtful consideration and response to site and context

  • Artistic merit and overall quality of work

  • Ingenuity and uniqueness of approach

  • Residency/ties to Greater Boston within I-495 beltway

    • Desired Artist Attributes:

  • Eager to bring work to new audiences

  • Active listener with clear communication skills

  • Tenacious and able to persevere through challenges

  • Curious and always learning

  • Open to collaboration

  • Experience with sculpture, creative placemaking/placekeeping, architecture, or socially engaged art (preferred but not required)

    • Selection Process:

  • Open call administered via SlideRoom

  • Jury of 6 veteran contemporary art professionals reviews applications

  • Six finalists invited for interviews

  • Four artists selected

    • Jury Members (2025-2026 Cohort):

  • Cher Krause Knight, Ph.D. (Public Art Historian, Emerson College, Triennial Advisory Board member)

  • Ang Li (Accelerator Alum, Interdisciplinary Designer, Northeastern University)

  • Dina Deitsch (Director and Chief Curator, Tufts University Art Galleries)

  • Alexandra Paul Zotov (Public Art Registrar, City of Boston Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture)

  • Cedric "Vise1" Douglas (Veteran public artist, designer, street artist, social interventionist)

    • Funding:

  • Generously funded by Joyce Linde and Linde Family Foundation, James and Audrey Foster, and individual donors from Greater Boston

    • Contact Information:

  • Email: info@thetriennial.org

  • Spanish language support available

  • Phone: 617-982-3860

  • Address: 186 South Street Suite 302, Boston, MA 02111

    • Website: https://www.thetriennial.org/journal/triennial-accelerator-information-and-application-process

    How to Apply

    Application Process

    Application Timeline:

  • June 30, 2026: Applications open on SlideRoom portal

  • August 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST: Application deadline

  • August 27-29, 2026: Jury deliberations and finalists selected

  • September 8-12, 2026: Six finalists invited for in-person interviews

  • September 17, 2026: Four artists notified of selection

    • Drop-in Info Sessions (Optional):
    Participants can attend optional sessions to ask questions about the program and application:

  • Session 1: July 9 at 12:30-1:30 PM (Virtual)

  • Session 2: July 23 at 5:30-6:30 PM (Virtual)

  • Session 3: July 30 at 1-6 PM (In-person)

    • Application Materials Required:
    1. Application submitted via SlideRoom
    2. Project images with captions demonstrating readiness to create work outside (complicated production preferred)
    3. Reference from collaborator, mentor, teacher, or colleague (auto-generated from SlideRoom)
    4. Written responses to application questions

    Key Tips for Applicants:
    1. Consider how hands-on support, resources, and cohort experience could benefit your practice at this moment
    2. Select images that demonstrate readiness to create projects outside; if no exterior work completed yet, show complicated projects
    3. Use captions to explain your work
    4. Secure a reference early (recommend requesting several weeks in advance)
    5. Start application on SlideRoom early to give reference recommenders time

    Reference Process:

  • References are auto-generated from SlideRoom

  • Reference providers receive direct email request from SlideRoom

  • Reference providers answer two questions about the artist's work and practice

    • Application Portal: SlideRoom

    Support for Applicants:

  • Optional drop-in info sessions available

  • Spanish-language support available (contact info@thetriennial.org)

  • Email: info@thetriennial.org for questions

    • Apply with Grantable Learn more

    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    artsvisual-artistsbipoclgbtq

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