community arts initiative: the artist project

The Artist Project is a collaboration between an experienced artist, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and twelve after-school community organizations in the Boston area.

The program is designed to engage children in the art-making process under the guidance of an experienced artist. Drawing inspiration from the MFA’s collection the selected artist plans and leads an art project with children between the ages of six and twelve. The final product is a collaborative work of art, reflecting the voices and ideas of participating children, and is exhibited in the Edward H. Linde Gallery (168) in the Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art for up to six calendar months.

Lead Artist Involvement

The Artist should be available for planning starting in July 2025 and art sessions with children starting in October 2025. All sessions must conclude by April 2026 as the exhibition grand opening is planned for May 2026. The Artist works with MFA staff to schedule four to six visits, lasting approximately 2.5 hours, with each of the twelve organizations. Visits typically take place between the hours of 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm at the MFA and community centers during after-school hours. The Artist must be available all of the weekdays (M-F) that the MFA is open until 10:00 pm in order to accommodate group visits to the Museum. A minimum of two sessions per organization must be held in person. The role of the Lead Artist is to guide the children and choreograph the collaborative work of art into its final exhibited shape.