In Spring 2026, ArtsArlington and our partner, the Mystic River Watershed Association, invited the community to co-create public art project celebrating the return of the herring to the Mystic River and our local creative spirit.
Introducing GO FISH!
GO FISH! is a participatory mural project for residents of all ages. In collaboration with local partners, ArtsArlington offered free workshops inviting community members to paint a fish, with a goal of creating 2,000 uniquely painted herring.
The finished herring are being installed on the exterior brick walls of local storefront businesses in groupings that pedestrians can discover as they walk through town. The work embodies the incredible diversity of our vibrant community as well as the positive good we can accomplish by working together.
GO FISH! Community Workshops
GO FISH! workshops took place throughout the spring and summer of 2026. All ages and experience levels were welcome. ArtsArlington provided the “fish” (a printed outline of a herring printed on special aluminum material), brushes, and acrylic paint. Imagination and creativity did the rest!
Many community groups participated in GO FISH! workshops, including the Arlington Public Schools, the Arlington Housing Authority, the Arlington Recreation Department, and several local arts organizations and small businesses.
Interested in hosting a workshop at your organization? Contact Cecily Miller, ArtsArlington Public Art Curator, cecily.apa@gmail.com, (617) 331-1715.
Past Community Workshops
- Wednesday, June 17, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, and 6:30 pm, Fox Library
- Sunday, June 7, 10 am, Mystic Open Studio
- Sunday, May 10, 2 pm, Mystic Open Studio
- Saturday, May 9, 1 pm and 2 pm, Fox Library
- Sunday, May 3, 12 pm, Mystic Open Studio
- Sunday, April 26, 3 pm and 4 pm, Roasted Granola Café
- Saturday, April 25, 2 pm and 3 pm, Arlington Center for the Arts
- Tuesday, April 22, 10 am, Mystic Open Studio
- Tuesday, April 21, 2 pm, Maxima Hive
- Monday, April 13, 7 pm, Mystic Open Studio
- Saturday, April 11, 10 am, Mystic Open Studio
- Saturday, April 4, 2 pm, Mystic River Watershed Association
- Sunday, March 8, 3 pm, Maxima Hive View photos
- Wednesday, March 4, 12 pm, Arlington Center for the Arts View photos
- Saturday, February 28, 10 am, Mystic River Watershed Association View photos
About The Return of the Herring
Every spring, a major migration moves through the heart of Greater Boston, invisible to most people. From early April through June, more than 500,000 river herring from the Atlantic Ocean return to the Mystic River, where they were born.
Over the several years, this herring population has gone from endangered to robust thanks to a combination of government protection, nonprofit organization initiatives, and volunteer efforts. Since 2012, the herring that make their annual voyage from Boston Harbor up the Mystic River to spawn has more than tripled – from 200,000 to 640,000 in 2024!
Project Supporters
Many thanks to all the generous supporters who made GO FISH! possible.
We received a grant through the Cultural District program of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), a state agency. The Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture, which is supported by the MCC, provided additional grant support. Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area provided partnership support.
A generous donation from FloorSignage, LLC/Alumigraphics made it possible for us to use their innovative temporary mural material. Blick Art Materials/Central Square generously contributed paint supplies.
Finally, our work would not be possible without the ongoing generous support from the Town of Arlington and our local business and individual supporters, plus the time, energy and enthusiasm donated by our community volunteers!
Project Partners
13Forest Gallery
APS Green Team/Brackett Elementary School
APS Green Team/Ottoson Middle School
APS Green Team/Peirce Elementary School
APS Green Team/Stratton Elementary School
APS Thompson School/3rd Grade
Arlington Afterschool Program/Thompson School
Arlington Center for the Arts
Arlington Council on Aging
Arlington Department of Planning and Community Development
Arlington Housing Authority / Drake Village
Arlington Police Department
Arlington Public Schools
Arlington Recreation Department
ArtLinks
Arts Collaborative Medford
BCNS Preschool
Edith M. Fox Library
Extinction Rebellion
Farrington Nature Linc
Maxima Hive
Medford Girl ScoutsMosaic Oasis
Mystic Open Studio
Mystic River Watershed Association
Nave Gallery
Old Schwamb Mill
Playtime
Roasted Granola Café
Robbins Public Library
Room for Art
Tisch College of Civic Life/Tufts University
Town of Arlington
West Medford Community Center