Arts & culture
Arts programming, artist support, cultural spaces and neighborhood history and heritage.
Residents want paid, supported local artists, free affordable places to create and perform, and more public art, free cultural events and youth arts across neighborhoods.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
160 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 56 | 4.6% | 11 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 45 | 3.7% | 13 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 59 | 4.5% | 10 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
Pay and support for local artists
Residents ask for micro-grants, fair pay, mentorship and business training so artists and musicians can sustain their work in Boston.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Free or low-cost spaces to create, rehearse and show art
Residents want studios, galleries, co-working and performance spaces in vacant storefronts, unused city buildings and neighborhood hubs, especially in Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Free cultural events and performances in neighborhoods
Residents ask for free concerts, festivals and performances in parks and public spaces that reflect Boston's many cultures and reach beyond downtown.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Murals and public art by local artists
Residents suggest paying local and BIPOC artists to paint murals and install public art that beautifies blank walls and underused spaces.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Arts and music programs for children and youth
Residents want free or low-cost art, music and dance programs and spaces for young people, including instruments, studios and healing-centered arts.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Ideas centered on murals, performance spaces in parks, new arts hubs and centers, and recognizing neighborhood and First Nations history, with many Dorchester, East Boston and Charlestown ideas.
2025–26
Ideas leaned toward artist-support systems such as micro-grants, a mentor network, a city arts platform and free use of unused city buildings, plus healing-centered art and heritage exhibits.
2026–27
Ideas stressed direct pay for artists, including basic income and fair pay for musicians, and a cluster of Allston-Brighton asks, including a Western Avenue arts district, alongside many music and cultural performance requests.
New in 2026–27
New or growing in 2026-27 are an arts district on Western Avenue in Allston-Brighton, basic income and fair-pay funds for artists, and music in transit stations and senior centers.
Funding so far
No resident-voted winning projects relate to this theme, so none of the recurring asks, including artist funding, affordable creative spaces, free events, murals and youth arts, has been funded through resident vote yet.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
No winning project has addressed this theme yet.
Departments that often lead this work
- Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture
- Boston Public Library
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Arts & culture
160 ideas
2024–25: 56 · 2025–26: 45 · 2026–27: 59
- Support a Mattapan-set feature screenplay for productionResident seeks support to produce a screenplay set in Mattapan that promotes conversations about forgiveness, positive views of law enforcement and gun violence awareness.2025–26Mattapan
- Clean Parkman Memorial and add history signageResident asks to clean the Parkman Memorial, add accessible paths and plantings, and install signs explaining the site's history and its indigenous heritage.2025–26Unspecified
- Unused city buildings as rehearsal and studio spacesTurn unused city-owned buildings into free or low-cost rehearsal spaces and studios for local artists, performers and nonprofits to give them access to needed resources.2025–26City-wide
- Unused city buildings as free art exhibition spacesConvert unused city-owned buildings into free or low-cost exhibition spaces for local artists and nonprofits, to broaden access and support the creative community.2025–26City-wide
- Boston Voices grants for recording artistsThe resident proposes a grant program giving Boston recording artists financial support and resources like studio time to create equitable access to the music industry.2025–26City-wide
- Expand cultural and recreation spaces for allThe resident asks for more cultural and recreational spaces for everyone to encourage greater participation among residents.2025–26City-wide
- Creative Catalyst Fund for Boston artistsThe resident proposes a fund offering micro-grants and mentorship for Boston artists to cover projects, equipment and training and connect them with professionals.2025–26City-wide
- City fundraising concerts for artists in hardshipThe resident proposes city-organized fundraising concerts to support artists and musicians facing economic hardship.2025–26City-wide
- Nonprofit arts announcements on city billboardsThe resident asks the City to display arts and culture announcements from nonprofits on city-owned billboards so more people learn about events without paid advertising.2025–26City-wide
- City-run online platform for local artsThe resident proposes a city-run digital platform showcasing local artists, performers and community arts nonprofits, to improve visibility for those lacking marketing budgets.2025–26City-wide
- Citywide artist mentor networkThe resident proposes a network connecting emerging local artists with experienced professionals for one-on-one help, workshops and reviews to reduce career barriers.2025–26City-wide
- More community events for Asian residentsThe resident asks for more community events geared toward the Asian community.2025–26City-wide
- More community eventsResident asks for more events for the community.2025–26Downtown
- Refugee storytelling exhibit and trauma-informed workshopsThe Zeru Foundation proposes an exhibit on Turkish and Syrian refugees and immigrants, plus trauma-informed workshops for parents and city staff, to build empathy and community resilience.2025–26City-wide
- Renovate the Strand Theater in DorchesterResident asks to fund improvements to the old, shabby Strand Theater to support the arts and revitalize the neighborhood; the text mentions Worcester but describes Dorchester.2025–26Dorchester
- LEGEND Lab healing-centered art programsResident proposes LEGEND Lab, where Boston artists lead healing-focused art programs with mentorship and public showcases to address community trauma and youth disconnection.2025–26City-wide
- More community eventsResident asks for more community events, with no further detail given.2025–26East Boston
- Art exhibit on textile pollution using upcycled clothesResident proposes an art and advocacy exhibit using clothing collected from community members to educate about textile waste and its environmental and equity impacts.2025–26City-wide
- Artist-designed neighborhood welcome signsResident proposes locally designed signs at entry points to neighborhoods like Allston, Brighton and Fenway to celebrate local identity, support local artists and youth programs, and encourage tourism.2025–26City-wide
- Community block party supporting Black businessesResident proposes a block party with jump houses, games for youth and shops supporting small and Black businesses to advance social and racial equity.2025–26City-wide