BOSTON, MASS.- Boston Public Art Triennial announced the lineup of participating artists for its first edition, opening to the public on May 22, 2025 until October 31, 2025. In partnership with the City of Boston, the Triennial 2025 presents 15 new outdoor public art commissions across the city, created by visionary local, national, and international artists. Boston Public Art Triennial, the recasting of Now + There, Boston’s leading non-profit public art organization, joins other ‘ennials and North American cities committed to a recurring celebration of contemporary art as a driver of greater connectivity, well-being, and economic vitality.

Curated by Artistic Director Pedro Alonzo and Curator Tess Lukey, the theme and title of the 2025 Triennial is The Exchange, an artist-driven platform that brings experts and artists into cross-disciplinary collaboration to address social issues and engage with communities. With a commitment to artistic excellence, Alonzo and Lukey are co-curating projects that reflect Boston's leadership in defined sub-themes of equity, climate and biodiversity, indigeneity, shared humanity, and addiction and wellness. Landmark artworks and programming, created in dialogue with and beneficial to host communities and locations, address intractable issues in new and inspired ways. All locations are to be announced.

Working alongside the Triennial Advisory Group and a Curatorial Advisory Group, the curators have selected the following artists as the official program:

Beatriz Cortez (b. 1970, based in Los Angeles), Julian Charriére (b. 1987, based in Berlin), Adela Goldbard (b. 1979, based in Rhode Island and Mexico City), Stephen Hamilton (b. 1987, based in Boston), Cannupa Hanska Luger (b. 1979, based in New Mexico), Laura Lima (b. 1971, based in Rio de Janeiro), Ekene Ijeoma (b. 1985, based in Boston), Nicholas Galanin (b. 1979, based in Alaska) co-curated with MassArt Art Museum, Patrick Martinez (b. 1980, based in Los Angeles), Delcy Morelos (b. 1967, based in Bogotá), New Red Order (Adam Khalil, b. 1988; Zack Khalil, b. 1991; Jackson Polys, b. 1976; all based in New York; Kahilils from Watertown, MA), Gabriel Sosa (b. 1985, based in Boston), Lan Tuazon (b. 1976, based in Chicago), Swoon (b. 1977, based in New York). Three additional local artists will be selected to participate in the Triennial via an open call for the Triennial Accelerator program.

In addition to the 15 commissioned Triennial projects, the city will be alive with extraordinary temporary and permanent public art projects between May and October 2025, presented by Boston area museums and institutions, including the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology / List Visual Arts Center, and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

“Boston is a city full of dynamic creative talent. We’re proud to join the ranks of cities hosting global celebrations of contemporary art and its ability to help us see the world in new ways,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The Boston Public Art Triennial will expand our city’s offering of arts experiences that are free and accessible to all, while inviting local and international artists to create in a hub of culture and innovation.”

Community-centric programming: Committed to inclusive and community-driven programming, the 2025 Boston Public Art Triennial collaborates closely with a paid Community Advisory Group and local organizations. Initial organizational partnerships include the Boston Public Library (BPL), Design Studio for Social Intervention (DS4SI), Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID), Rose Kennedy Greenway, Breaktime, HEW, Gallery KWADRAT with Boston University College of Fine Arts and Goethe-Institut Boston, AfroDesiaCity, PRX Podcast Garage, Boston Comics in Color Festival, and many more to be announced.

Anniversary milestone: The first edition coincides with Now + There’s milestone 10th anniversary, marking a decade of furthering the impact of its work in fostering transformative public art experiences in Boston. The exhibition evolves the organization’s annual work of finding and fostering local artistic talent through Lot Lab, a space for artists and community collaboration, and the Public Art Accelerator, providing workshops and funding for Boston-area artists to advance their public art careers.

Kate Gilbert, Executive Director of Boston Public Art Triennial and founder of Now + There, states, “The Boston Public Art Triennial is a landmark moment in redefining Boston as an open, equitable, and vibrant city for our citizens and international visitors alike. We're thrilled to build on Now + There’s legacy, creating public art experiences that spark connections and welcome all for artistic exchange.”

Pedro Alonzo, Artistic Director of the 2025 Boston Public Art Triennial states, “The Exchange, will bring artists into dialogue with communities of experts across the city who have come together to take productive action. Working together to develop compelling narratives that reveal new perspectives by humanizing issues, visualizing desired outcomes and reminding us of the consequences of inaction.”

The vision of the Boston Public Art Triennial is being realized because of bold Bostonians, including Founding Donor Alnoba / Lewis Family Foundation. Additional funders of the 2025 Boston Public Art Triennial include Joyce Linde, Barbara + Amos Hostetter, the City of Boston Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, Lisa Tung + Spencer Glendon, Margaret + Tomas Bergstrand, the Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation, Wagner Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts’ Public Art Program With Funding From The Barr Foundation, and Karen + Rob Hale.

Their courageous support builds on major gifts from multi-year Boston Public Art Triennial donors, Accelerator Program supporters Joyce Linde and James and Audrey Foster, and contributors to N+T’s general operations, including the Barr Foundation, the Wagner Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the City of Boston, the Barr-Klarman MA Arts Initiative, and other anonymous supporters.

Following the launch in 2025, the Boston Public Art Triennial will run every three years from May to October; the subsequent editions will be 2028, 2031, and 2034.