Calls for Artists

Storm drain mural by Jill Strait.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Arlington Storm Drain Sidewalk Mural Project

Entry Deadline: March 31,2025
This project aims to raise awareness about the harmful effects of dumping in storm drains — which are a crucial link between town streets and waterways. Arlington’s stormwater system uses drain pipes to transport rainwater to various outfalls throughout the town, eventually discharging into nearby bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. Through art and murals, we hope to highlight the direct connection between the storm drain and local water bodies, emphasizing the importance of keeping them clean and free of harmful waste. If you’d like to learn more about this important and townwide appealing project, take a look at ACMI’s coverage here!
The project aims to educate the community and encourage people to think twice before discarding their trash and to keep drains clear of debris. This message will be presented in a small sidewalk mural no larger than 4’x4’ To apply you must be 18+ and have painting experience.
There is a stipend of $300 for this project. Contact Laurie.bogdan@gmail.com for more information. (Image: Storm drain mural by Jill Strait.)
Adopt a drain today, and keep it clean year-round! Visit here for more information: https://arlington.mysticdrains.org/

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Minuteman Bikeway Bridge Post Mural Project

Entry Deadline: March 31, 2025
Beautify our Minuteman Bikeway bridges with a colorful mural on the corner posts. These bridges are on the road overpasses in Arlington Heights section of the bikeway. Chosen muralists will receive a $750.00 stipend for this project. Contact Laurie.bogdan@gmail.com for more information.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Symbiosis — In celebration of Arlington250

Arlington Center for the Arts (ACA) in partnership with Arlington’s Poet Laureate, Jean Flanagan seeks submissions to Symbiosis. This unique call invites visual artists and writers from the region to sift through the past and find commonalities in the human experience. This exhibition will pair visual artworks with pieces of poetry, creating platforms for new meanings to be examined and explored.
What are the points of connection across diverse life stories? How do you show your relationship to those who came before you? What did this land look like before colonization or the industrial revolution? Writing and art have unique abilities to transport viewers across time and bring to life perspectives and voices long forgotten. Artists are encouraged to consider their own life experience through these questions, exploring their works’ thematic relationship to family, land, community, and change.
Visual artworks and prose will be displayed together for viewers to engage with, inspiring unique conversations about the experiences of being a resident of Arlington, also known as Menotomy. We invite artists and poets to submit work to this unique opportunity.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Delia Tharnish, Education and Programs Director at delia@acarts.org or at 781-648-6220.
Important Dates

Deadline to Submit: Sunday, March 9, 2025
Announce Selected Art: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Art Drop Off: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Exhibition Opens: Thursday, April 3, 2025

Artist and Poet Private Reception: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 1, 6pm-7:30pm
Final Day of Exhibition: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Art Pick up: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Submission Guidelines

Poetry

-Artists and writers must be ages 16 and up
-A written artist statement or writing philosophy must be submitted
-Work must be submitted in 12 pt Arial
-Poetry must be submitted as a word document or google document (not PDF), with the work fully formatted for printing. ACA will not make any edits to grammar, spelling or punctuation. If work is selected, ACA may make changes to font, type size etc. as needed for display purposes.

Visual Art

-Artists and writers must be ages 16 and up
-A written artist statement must be submitted
-Visual work must be ready to hang, installed, or displayed. 2D works must be on canvas or framed with a wire in the back for hanging or it will not be accepted. Specific display needs must be specified and provided by the artist.

Site-specific proposals are welcome, but there is no guarantee we can accommodate. Please reach out to delia@acarts.org if you have any questions. There are no size restrictions beyond the height of the gallery, which is 6 feet tall. There are limited opportunities for anything taller than 6 feet (see site-specific proposals).
Artwork shown at ACA in the past year will not be accepted.

Symbiosis Jurors

-Evan Caldwell, ACA Programs Manager
-Thomas DeFreitas, Poet + Community Partner
-Jean Flanagan, Poet Laureate, Arlington, MA
-KT Landon, Poet + Community Partner
-Aneleise Ruggles, ACA Communications Director


Something missing? Submit a Call for Artists using this form. Our admin team will review all Calls before adding them to the site.