Several poets will be reading original poems that celebrate Boston and remind people what a culturally exciting city it is to live and work in. The event is free and open to the public, and will also be livestreamed on the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture Facebook page.

The selected poems will be displayed in Boston City Hall and will also be available in an online gallery. The deadline to submit a poem is April 15, 2022, at 5 p.m.

Submit a poem

Join the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, the Office of Neighborhood Services, Hyde Square Task Force, and Three Squares Main Streets for a discussion with artists Cristina Parreño Alonso and Amin Tadj. The artists will be presenting their design for the Hyde Square rotary public art project, which was commissioned by the City of Boston in 2018.

This is a writing workshop series that explores various themes associated with COVID-19, quarantine, health, and joy through reading, writing, and discussion. Each workshop will be held at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library and facilitated by City of Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola.

This workshop will be held on Monday, May 2, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The title of the workshop is "Obsession, Ritual, Tradition", and it will focus on questioning personal and collective traditions during and on the other side of the pandemic.

Register for the event

This is a writing workshop series that explores various themes associated with COVID-19, quarantine, health, and joy through reading, writing, and discussion. Each workshop will be held at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library and facilitated by City of Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola.

This workshop will be held on Monday, April 25, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The title of the workshop is "With What We Found", and it will focus on finding the poetic in our surroundings.

Register for the event

This is a writing workshop series that explores various themes associated with COVID-19, quarantine, health, and joy through reading, writing, and discussion. Each workshop will be held at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library and facilitated by City of Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola.

This workshop will be held on Monday, April 11, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The title of the workshop is "The Closeness of Distance", and it will focus on using distance as a poetic tool to tell stories.

Register for the event

This is a writing workshop series that explores various themes associated with COVID-19, quarantine, health, and joy through reading, writing, and discussion. Each workshop will be held at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library and facilitated by City of Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola.

This workshop will be held on Monday, April 4, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The title of the workshop is "Name Like a Gift", and it will focus on the weight of language and etymology in what we call our work, our possessions, and ourselves.

Register for the event

Join the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture and the Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library on April 5 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. for a discussion with artist Curtis Williams. The City of Boston commissioned Curtis to create a mural for the Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library as part of the Transformative Public Art Program. Come learn about his past work and share your experiences to help him as he begins to create his artwork!

Boston's inaugural Youth Poet Laureate Alondra Bobadilla will be participating in a final reading on April 6 at 6 p.m. at the Boston Public Library. This event will mark the end of her role as Youth Poet Laureate for the City of Boston. Join Alondra, Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola, and several other young poets, including: 

• Jolina Mahabali, an 18-year-old senior at Fenway High School who fell in love with poetry when she was 10. 

• Asiyah Herrera, a 20-year-old poet who became the youngest author to be published in the Boston Art Review last year with her piece “Making space for Gen Z.” Her poetry has been published in several chapbooks and lives on a large-scale mural in the Roxbury Library branch in Nubian Square.

• Valerie Cameron-Goodwin, an 18-year-old songwriter and poet who grew up in the Roxbury-Dorchester area. Valerie’s main goal when writing is to provide herself with a space to express what’s heavy on her heart, in a way that can also reach others. 

• Anjalequa Birkett, Boston's second Youth Poet Laureate. Anjalequa is currently 18 years old and attends the John D. O’Bryant School of Math & Science, where through the 826 Writers Room, she has been given a space and community to truly hone and admire her love and technique for writing and poetry.

We're looking for artists to create up to three murals for the basketball courts at Malcolm X Park in Roxbury. Our public art team is holding two virtual question and answer sessions on April 14 at noon and 6 p.m. ET. We encourage all artists or artist teams who are interested to join us to get more information about the call. We'll be answering any questions you have! The deadline to submit questions is April 15, 2022 at 5 p.m. and the deadline to apply is April 29, 2022 at 5 p.m.

Join the question and answer session

View the Call to Artists

English: Interpretation and translation services are available to you at no cost. If you need them, please contact us at arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov or 617-635-4445, by: 03/31                                 

Spanish - Español: Hay servicios de interpretación y traducción a su disposición sin costo alguno. Si los necesita, póngase en contacto con nosotros mandando un correo electrónico arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov  o llamando a 617-635-4445, hasta esta fecha: 31/03

Haitian Creole -Kreyòl ayisyen:  Sèvis entèpretation ak tradiksyon disponib pou ou san sa pa koute w anyen. Si w bezwen yo, tanpri kontakte nou nan arts@boston.gov LCA@boston.gov  oswa 617-635-4445, ant:  31/03

Traditional Chinese - 繁體中文: 我們可以向您提供口頭翻譯和書面翻譯服務，並不向您收取費用。如您需要，請在03 月 31 日 前與我們連絡，發電子郵件至  arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov 或致電 617-635-4445。

Vietnamese - Tiếng Việt: Các dịch vụ thông dịch và biên dịch được cung cấp cho quý vị hoàn toàn miễn phí. Nếu quý vị cần những dịch vụ này, vui lòng liên lạc với chúng tôi theo địa chỉ arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov  hoặc số điện thoại 617-635-4445. ngày cuối: 31/03

Simplified Chinese - 简体中文:  我们可以向您提供口头翻译和书面翻译服务，并不向您收取费用。如您需要，请在03 月 31 日 前与我们联系, 发电子邮件至 arts@boston.gov,  LCA@boston.gov  或致电 617-635-4445。

Cabo Verdean Creole - kriolu:  Nu ta oferese-bu sirvisus di interpretason y traduson di grasa. Si bu meste kes sirvisu la, kontata-nu pa email arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov  ó pa telefóni, pa númeru 617-635-4445. Na es data:  31/03

 Arabic - العربية

خدمات الترجمة الشفوية والترجمة التحريرية متوفرة لك دون تحملك أي تكلفة. إذا احتجت لهذه الخدمات، يرجى التواصل معنا على العنوانarts@boston.gov, أو LCA@boston.gov، أو رقم الهاتف 617-635-4445، بحلول يوم 31/03. 

Russian -Русский: Услуги устного и письменного перевода предоставляются бесплатно. Если Вам они нужны, просьба связаться с нами по адресу электронной почты arts@boston.gov,  LCA@boston.gov либо по телефону 617-635-4445. до  31/03

Portuguese - Português: Você tem à disposição serviços gratuitos de interpretação e tradução. Se precisar deles, fale conosco: arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov ou 617-635-4445. Até esta data 31/03

French - Français: Les services d’interprétation et de traduction sont à votre disposition gratuitement. Si vous en avez besoin, veuillez nous contacter à arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov ou au 617-635-4445, d'ici au: 31/03

Somali - Af Soomaali: Adeegyada tarjumaadda iyo fasiraada luuqadaha ayaa diyaar kuu ah adiga oo aan wax kharash ah ka bixin. Haddii aad u baahatid iyaga, fadlan nagala soo xiriir arts@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov ama 617-635-4445, markay taariikhdu tahay:  31/03

The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture is hosting two virtual question and answer sessions on Wednesday, February 16, from 12 - 1 p.m. and 6 - 7 p.m. ET. These sessions are to share information on the current Call to Artists for public art at City Hall Plaza. There are two opportunities as part of the call:

1. A short-term artwork for the north entrance to Boston City Hall. The total budget for this project is $50,000.
2. Graphics for the exterior of Boston City Hall. The total budget for this project is $5,000

Artists can submit their questions using this online form, or by emailing Sarah.Rodrigo@boston.gov.