About the Open Call

Each year, an experienced artist with a passion for community arts plans and leads a collaborative art project with children aged six to twelve. The Lead Artist guides the children and steers the work into its final exhibited shape. The Artist works with the Manager of the Community Arts Initiative to schedule four to six visits, lasting approximately 2.5 hours, with each of the twelve participating organizations. Visits typically take place between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm at the MFA and community centers during after-school hours. The Artist must be available on all weekdays when the MFA is open until 10:00 pm to accommodate group visits to the Museum.

What is Offered

The MFA provides the selected artist with a stipend of $50,000 and a budget of $5,000 for materials. The Lead Artist works with MFA staff and collections and is recognized across all exhibition materials including postcards and the MFA website. The completed project is exhibited in the Edward H. Linde Gallery (168) in the Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art at the MFA.

Requirements

Experienced artists with demonstrated ability to complete large-scale projects involving different elements, community partners, and groups of children are eligible. The Artist must be available on all weekdays when the MFA is open until 10:00 pm to accommodate group visits to the Museum.

How to Apply

Artists are requested to submit applications online through Submittable: https://mfaboston.submittable.com/submit. Submissions are reviewed by a panel composed of representatives from the MFA and participating community organizations.