2026 Dewey Square Mural National Open Call
National open call for artists to create a monumental mural celebrating America's 250th anniversary in Boston's Dewey Square.
The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy has announced the first-ever national Open Call for the 2026 Dewey Square Mural, inviting artists from across the United States to submit qualifications for one of Boston's most visible and celebrated public art sites. This landmark initiative, launched in partnership with Embrace and Everyone250, will culminate in a monumental new mural unveiled in 2026 to mark the nation's 250th anniversary.
The selected artist or artist team will receive a $25,000 commission and a $50,000 production budget to create a large-scale mural reflecting on themes of revolution, belonging, and democracy, while imagining Boston's role in shaping the next 250 years of American life.
The selection process occurs in two phases. Phase I requires artists to respond to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Five finalists will be selected and each will receive $5,000 to develop full proposals in Phase II. One artist will be selected for the 2026 commission, while the remaining four finalists will have their proposals and related works displayed on large-scale stanchions at Dewey Square Plaza from June through December 2026.
The Artist Selection Panel includes distinguished community and cultural leaders: Jha D Amazi, Ché Anderson, Tessa Bachi Haas, L'Merchie Frazier, Jameson Johnson, Kenny Mascary, Jeneé Osterheldt, Jasper A. Sanchez, Lisa Tung, and Zhidong Zhang.
Since its inception in 2012, the Dewey Square Mural Program has hosted works by prominent artists including Os Gemeos, Shinique Smith, Lawrence Weiner, Shara Hughes, and Jeffrey Gibson, collaborating with leading institutions like ICA Boston, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and MIT List Visual Arts Center.