Public Art for Spatial Justice

At NEFA, we believe in the arts as a powerful tool for positive change and that public art has the power to shift public culture and change the future. 

The freedoms to create, access, express, and share arts and cultures are human rights that are essential to more equitable and vibrant public spaces, but these freedoms aren't equitably afforded to all. Public Art for Spatial Justice aims to support public artmaking that helps us see, feel, experience and imagine more just futures for our public spaces and public culture.

How It Works

Massachusetts-based artist(s) and Massachusetts-based organizations working with artist(s), are welcome to apply for a project grant. Projects must take place in Massachusetts and creatively cultivate expressions or embodiments of spatial justice through public artmaking. All artistic disciplines are welcome to apply. 

Public Art for Spatial Justice grants range from $15,000-$30,000, for up to two-year grant period beginning March 2026 through February 2028. 

About NEFA's Public Art Program

Public Art for Spatial Justice is one of NEFA’s grant programs supporting artists in the field of public art. 

For more information about other elements of NEFA’s Public Art programs: 

VISIT THE public art PROGRAM PAGE

Eligibility

Eligible

Lead Applicant must be based in Massachusetts.

Lead applicant may a be…

• Massachusetts-based Artist(s). Individual artist applicants must be 18+ years old. Artistic collaborations may be a group of artists informally working together for this particular project, or an artist collective that regularly works together on projects.
• Community-based organization in Massachusetts, working in collaboration with a particular artist(s)

Recognizing the intersectionality of identities, we acknowledge that artists may also identify as cultural practitioners, activists, and community-rooted collaborators, and may be self/community-taught, institutionally trained, or a combination of both. All are welcome to apply.

Proposed public art projects must:

• Be located in Massachusetts.
• Engage the public realm and/or be available to the general public to happen upon.
• Cultivate expressions of and/or embodiments of spatial justice through public artmaking. Projects of all artistic disciplines –visual, performative, rooted in ritual, etc.-- are eligible.

Not eligible

• Lead applicants based outside of Massachusetts.
• Proposed projects based outside of Massachusetts.
• Current PASJ grantee (lead applicant) who has not completed their respective grantee report.
• Past PASJ Grantees are not eligible to apply to PASJ again for a full calendar year from completing their grantee report (e.g., If you submit a PASJ grantee report on June 1, 2025, that is approved, you are not eligible to submit a new application for PASJ till June 1, 2026, or after). 

Funding Criteria & Priorities

At NEFA, we believe in the arts as a powerful tool for positive change and that public art has the power to shift public culture and change the future. 

The freedoms to create, access, express, and share arts and cultures are human rights that are essential to more equitable and vibrant public spaces, but these freedoms aren't equitably afforded to all. Public Art for Spatial Justice aims to support public artmaking that helps us see, feel, experience and imagine more just futures for our public spaces and public culture. 

To learn more about spatial justice check out this zine by the Design Studio for Social Intervention for more context. 

Eligible projects will be reviewed according to the following funding criteria: 

• Public Artmaking: There is a lot of spatial justice work that may not be public artmaking. Through PASJ, NEFA is specifically funding public artmaking that embodies and expresses more just possibilities for public spaces.  
  We define public artmaking as artistic and culture expressions of all artistic disciplines – including visual, performative, and those rooted in ritual – that engage and/or activate public space. We define public space as places that are open and available for the general public to happen upon.
• Relevance: Context is important in public artmaking. Why this project? Why here? Why now? Public spaces are not neutral. And public art made in public spaces is not neutral. Reviewers are looking to understand the context of the project as well as the lead applicant’s intentions for public artmaking.
• Integrity: Public art practices that reduce people, places, and stories to tools for artmaking are harmful. Reviewers are looking for projects that center each other’s humanity through just and mutually beneficial relationships that are built on trust, accountability, and reciprocity.

Priority will be given to projects that meet any/all of the following: 

• Led or co-led by Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), and more specifically BIPOC artists and creatives. We believe freedoms to create, access, express, and share arts and cultures are human rights and essential to a just society and thriving communities. The path towards dismantling systemic inequities, barriers, and actions that limit self-determination, cultural traditions, and access to opportunities includes centering BIPOC-led creative exploration and expression in public spaces.
• Rooted in community and/or demonstrates a deep relationship to place – particularly rural places, and/or places where folks are experiencing/have experienced displacement.

As we lean into risk-taking with our grantees, we recognize the feasibility of projects may vary. We ask that artists/lead applicants are realistic about feasibility with their understanding of the context of place and space, while acknowledging that aspects of the project may need to evolve during the grant period. 

Application Process & Deadlines

The deadline for Public Art for Spatial Justice was December 2, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.

Applications are accepted through our online grant portal. 

Applicants will be notified of awards in late February 2026, with the grant year beginning in March 2026. 

Grantees will have up to 24 months from the beginning of the grant period to implement projects. 

Grantee Requirements & Reports

Upon receiving a PASJ grant, program staff will schedule an initial check-in to discuss any shifts in project plans, schedule an interim check-in based on the project timeline, and answer any questions grantees may have about the grant. 

PASJ grants will be released in three installments: 

• 45% upon signing the grantee agreement at the beginning of the grant period
• 45% upon completing an interim grantee check-in with program staff (Zoom call)
• 10% upon approval of the final grantee report 

Note: Public Art for Spatial Justice grants are taxable income to individual recipients and reportable to the IRS. All grantees will receive an IRS Form 1099 from NEFA. 

Interim Grantee Check-In 

Grantees are required to complete an interim check-in with program staff to receive the second payment (45% of grant total). The date/time of the interim grantee check-in will be agreed upon but NEFA staff and grantee at the beginning of the grant year. Grantee will be asked to share an update on the project, including but not limited to major changes related to the project workplan, timeline or budget.  

The interim grantee check-in will be conducted as a recorded virtual conversation with program staff.

If unanticipated delays occur in your project timeline or major changes need to be made to the scope of your project, please contact the public art program staff to discuss next steps as soon as possible. 

Final Grantee Report 

Preview Grantee Report Questions 

Grantees are required to complete a final grantee report 40 days after the project is completed.  Approval of final grantee report is required to receive the third and final payment (10% of grant total). Grantee report can be found in the online grant portal: 

Log in to NEFA’s grant portal 

Grantees who do not submit a grantee report will not be eligible for future Public Art for Spatial Justice grants. 

Note: If the timing of the payments presents an economic hardship, please contact the Public Art Team as soon as possible to discuss options.