Public Artists in Residence: Embedding creativity in New York City government
Project: Placing artists in city agencies to co-create public projects
New York City’s Public Artists in Residence (PAIR) programme embeds artists within city agencies to address urgent civic issues through creative collaboration. Launched in 2015, the initiative has tackled challenges such as racial equity, discrimination, and youth detention by integrating artistic thinking into public policy. With residencies spanning city departments, PAIR helps generate innovative solutions, strengthen community engagement, and reimagine the role of art in public service and city governance.
Tackling civic challenges through creative thinking
New York City is confronting a range of evolving public challenges—from racial inequality to declining civic trust—that often elude traditional solutions. In a city defined by its diversity and complexity, conventional bureaucratic approaches may fall short in engaging communities and building the inclusive systems necessary for long-term change. To create meaningful, lasting impact, the city is turning to artists as catalysts for civic innovation and public engagement.
Embedding artists within city agencies
PAIR offers a groundbreaking model for addressing civic issues through creative partnerships. Spearheaded by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), PAIR places socially engaged artists inside city agencies for year-long residencies. These embedded artists work collaboratively with agency staff to identify challenges, build understanding, and co-develop public-facing projects that advance social equity and civic participation.
Each residency begins with a research phase, during which the artist learns the agency’s structure and mission while sharing their own creative practice. This mutual exchange ensures projects are deeply informed by both community needs and institutional knowledge. After research, artists propose participatory initiatives designed to engage the public and spark change— from exhibitions and installations to campaigns and interactive programming.
Artists receive a $40,000 stipend, workspace within their host agency, and access to city resources like Materials for the Arts. Final selection is made jointly by DCLA and partner agencies, ensuring both artistic excellence and alignment with civic goals.
Transformative public impact through art
In the 2024–2025 cycle, four artists were selected to work with agencies including the Administration for Children’s Services, the Commission on Human Rights, the Human Resources Administration, and the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice. Their residencies will focus on topics such as racial equity, discrimination, youth detention conditions, and increased access to discounted public transport through the Fair Fares programme.
Past PAIR residencies have produced wide-reaching and impactful projects. These include Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya’s I Still Believe in Our City campaign with the Commission on Human Rights, which responded to rising anti-Asian hate during the COVID pandemic through a citywide public art initiative. Other highlights include The People’s Bus and The People’s Festival by Yazmany Arboleda, which aimed to boost civic participation; Modesto “Flako” Jimenez’s participatory mural project with “Guns Down, Life Up”; and sTo Len’s Office of In Visibility at the Department of Sanitation, spotlighting overlooked frontline workers.
By embedding artists in government, PAIR enables creative responses to complex issues — shifting perspectives, amplifying underrepresented voices, and strengthening trust between communities and city institutions. Through creative collaboration, PAIR continues to demonstrate how art can serve as a powerful public policy tool, helping build a more just, inclusive, and imaginative future for New York City.
