Vacant Storefront Art Initiative–Call for 2D Art Submissions
Owners of vacant commercial storefronts in Portland’s Pedestrian Activities District (see map below) are encouraged to allow the City to install 2D art reproduced on window clings. This will be provided and installed by the City at no cost to the property owners.

The theme of this call is “Downtown Resurgam.” (Resurgam is Portland’s motto, and is a Latin word that means “I will rise again,” signifying renewal and the overcoming of adversity.)

To that end, we are accepting art submissions to be reviewed and selected by a jury. Property owners will then be able to choose selected art to display in their windows on a first come, first served basis. A stipend of $300 will be paid to the artist for each piece of artwork that is chosen to be displayed. Submitted artwork can be new or existing art. They can be drawings, photographs, paintings, or any other kind of 2-dimensional art.

Artists may submit up to 5 pieces.

Eligibility Requirements:
– Artists must live in Maine, with preference given to artists in the Greater Portland area.

— Priority will be given to underrepresented artists.

– Up to five (5) designs by each artist may be considered.

– Designs will be selected by a juried selection panel.

– Proposals must be received on or before February 1, 2026.

– Artists will be notified by February 28, 2025 if their designs are selected by the juried selection panel.

— Artists will receive a stipend of $300 for each piece of artwork that is chosen by a property owner to be displayed in a vacant storefront window.

— The City will keep the reproduced art to display in other windows as needed.

— The size of the art may be altered to fit the window, but care will be taken to retain its original aspect ratio in order to prevent distortion of the image.

— AI-generated artwork is not permitted.

APPLY HERE

Want to get updates on programs like this? Join the BNA Public Art Team! contact arts@baysideportland.org

Thanks to Betsy Boyd of Portland Downtown, Lily Phillips Carter of Ladybird Glassery, and Kincaid Pearson of 82Parris Gallery, Bayside Portland is a little more colorful now that the BNA Public Art Team was able to bring a PDD-funded utlility box painting program to our neighborhood. Check it out on the corner of Cumberland Ave and Preble Street.

The “Painting Outside the Box Portland Project” is a public art initiative by Portland Downtown that enlists local artists to paint utility boxes to beautify the city. The project transforms ordinary utility boxes into colorful, original works of art. Selected artists receive a stipend for their work.

The contract for the utility box on Cumberland Ave in Bayside was awarded to Lily Carter, whose design was chosen by BNA Public Art Team Lead Kincaid Pearson over more than a dozen applicants, noting “I thought it was a fitting one because it’s based on a quilt and the Bayside neighborhood feels like the most diverse and similar to a quilted network of residents.”

for more information about the BNA Public Art Team, contact arts@baysideportland.org

First Friday November 7th. Adding Mayhem at 52 Alder Street and Open Systems Gallery at
47 Portland Street, 3rd floor.
Public Art Painting has begun on the utility box on Cumberland Ave and Elm Streets. The contract was awarded to Lily Carter, whose design was chosen by Kincaid over more than a dozen applicants, noting “I thought it was a fitting one because it’s based on a quilt and the bayside neighborhood feels like the most diverse and similar to a quilted network of residents.” Rain has stalled the work but it should be done before snow flies.