Arts and Cultural Planning > Artists in Government

Artists in Government

This program helps artists work together with different City departments. It’s meant to spark lasting changes inside those departments by encouraging creativity and helping staff better understand the value of the arts. It also gives artists a chance to engage with the City’s work, which can inspire their own practice and expand how they see their role in the community. You can find more information about the artist and future work below.

2026 Artist

Heather Kapplow has been selected as the inaugural Artist in Government. Dozens of artists applied for the Artists in Government opportunity and a panel narrowed the field to seven contenders representing a wide range of artistic genres. The finalists included individuals and teams with backgrounds in music, poetry, dance, architecture, film, and acting. Kapplow, based in Allston, creates participatory experiences using installation, sound, text, objects, and engagement strategies that invite audiences to become collaborators. Kapplow’s work transforms complex questions into shared explorations, held with curiosity, care, and a spirit of collective imagination. During the residency, Kapplow will gain insight into Public Health Department operations, collaborate with staff, and develop a public facing project shaped by these interactions. “I’m deeply honored and excited to be invited into the inner workings of the City of Cambridge’s labor attending to the wellbeing of everyone who lives, works and visits the city. It feels like a tremendous gift to get to learn about what offering care means at the scale of a city, and all of the levels that that involves--from the everyday care, to the emergency/crises care--and everything in between. My practice involves exploring complicated questions about what being a community means… and holding these questions together, both playfully and earnestly." - Heather

Website

Cambridge Public Health Department

The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) protects and promotes the health of everyone in Cambridge, particularly those who are most vulnerable, through services, information, policies, and regulations. CPHD is an innovative and high- performing organization. Under the department’s leadership, Cambridge was one of six communities awarded the inaugural Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize in 2013, and they continue to be active participants in the RWJF Prize Winning Communities Network. CPHD has been nationally accredited since 2018 by the Public Health Accreditation Board, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the continuous quality improvement of public health departments.

CPHD Website

FAQs

What is the Artists in Government program?

Building on recommendations from the 2019 Mayor’s Art Task Force, this new program will connect artists with City departments to collaborate on creative projects. Artists get to see how the City operates up close, learn from staff, and create a project inspired by what they discover. City staff, in turn, get to experience a fresh, creative way of thinking that can spark new ideas in their own work. And ultimately, the broader community benefits, local artists get meaningful support, and residents get more thoughtful, imaginative city services.

How are artists selected?

Artists are invited to submit their application on SlideRoom. A technical panel will recommend five to seven finalists based on qualifications, which we define as past work and experience. An interviewing panel composed of city staff, including CPHD staff, and community members will conduct interviews with the finalists. City staff will provide interview assistance to the finalists. The panel will recommend one artist or artist team to serve as the inaugural Artist in Government with the Cambridge Public Health Department.

How was the Cambridge Public Health Department selected?

The Cambridge Public Health Department expressed interest in being the inaugural host of the Artists in Government. CPHD has a long history of partnering with Cambridge Arts and local artists to further their efforts to improve health equity and sees this program as a natural collaboration. For future iterations, City departments will be invited to participate based on the lessons of this inaugural collaboration.

How long will the Artists in Government work with the Cambridge Public Health Department?

Depending on the artist and their discipline, a contract may last up to 18 months.

What is the expected deliverable at the end of the 12-18 months?

There isn't a predetermined outcome. However, the artist is expected to produce a deliverable in collaboration with the host department that advances their goals and community outreach priorities. At this time, a permanent public art work is not expected.

How is this program funded?

Funding for this program comes from mitigation funding committed to the City for arts and culture programming by New England Development for the Cambridgeside Galleria.