Boston Art Commission

Mission Statement of the Boston Art Commission

The Boston Art Commission (BAC) is an independent board vested with the sole authority for the accessioning, commissioning, safety, and maintenance of the art collection owned by the City of Boston. The BAC advocates for the creation of innovative and transformative art and promotes its accessibility to enrich the lives of Boston’s diverse citizens and visitors. The BAC staff is charged with the primary functions of collecting, researching, interpreting, exhibiting, preserving, maintaining, and caring for the city's fine art, decorative art, and significant historical artifacts, according to museum standards. The BAC advises, supports, and consults with artists and communities, City departments, and others to commission and approve proposed projects on City property.

Click here to read the Boston Art Commission policies on the collection, memorials, and percent for art. 

Curatorial Mission 

The BAC commissions and approves innovative and transformative artworks that: 

• engage communities, 
• enrich and enliven the urban environment, 
• are driven by a clear artistic vision, 
• enhance the diversity of the existing collection, 
• respond directly to a specific environment, and 
• possess durability appropriate to the lifespan of the work.

Boston Art Commission public meetings are held on the second Tuesday afternoon of each month.

• Read the Boston Art Commission’s City Ordinance
• Read the Powers and Duties assigned to the Boston Art Commission