How Cambridge Arts Cares For 280+ Public Artworks
Cambridge’s Percent-for-Art ordinance, established in 1979, has led to the city housing the largest municipal collection of contemporary public art in the region, along with the responsibility of maintaining it. The 2024 exhibition Rust Happen(s): Caring for the Public Art Collection showcased the challenges of preserving outdoor artworks, from rust and graffiti to storm damage, and highlighted the meticulous work of Cambridge Arts’ conservation team. Through stories of restored sculptures and murals, the exhibit underscored the science behind art conservation and encouraged community engagement in protecting public art.
State Mass Vaccination Site Accessibility Information
The following information related to the accessibility of the State's Mass Vaccination Sites at Fenway Park, Gillette Stadium, Eastfield Mall in Springfield, and the Doubletree Hotel in Danvers was pulled together by the Cambridge Commission for Persons with Disabilities on February 1, 2021.
2024-2025 Grant Recipients
Overall Cambridge Arts and the City are distributing more than $300,000 to 60 artists, cultural organizations and grant reviewers via grants and stipends this year through three funding opportunities offered by Cambridge Arts: Organizational Investment Grants, Art for Social Justice Grants, and Local Cultural Council Project Grants.
Clean Energy Cambridge
Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gas emissions. They’re the main driver of climate change and also cause local environmental and human health impacts in Cambridge. That’s why the City is actively working to reduce fossil fuels throughout municipal operations and our community.
Community Safety Department Makes Immediate Impact In Community Following Launch of 9-1-1 Response
The Community Safety Department’s CARE Team launched in 2024, providing an unarmed, compassionate response to mental health crises, well-being checks, and other non-criminal emergencies. By the end of the year, they responded to nearly 200 emergency calls, assisted over 150 community members, and removed 1,600 needles from public spaces, with 94% of calls requiring no police involvement. In collaboration with local organizations and the Cambridge Police Department, the CARE Team also offers case management and referrals, helping residents access shelter, addiction treatment, housing support, and other essential services.
Cambridge Promise Pilot
The Cambridge Promise Pilot will allow eligible students enrolled at Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) and supported by the City’s College Success Initiative (CSI) to receive a “last dollar plus scholarship,” which includes free tuition and fees for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Winter Classic 5K
Expect brief road closures and traffic impacts near Central Square and Riverside due to the Winter Classic 5K, which will take place on Sunday, December 7, at 9:30 a.m. The course begins and ends at University Park Commons near Central Square.
New Parking Restriction Datasets
Working with the Traffic and Parking department, we’ve created six individual data sets containing different types of street parking restrictions (street occupancy permits for different reasons) and used those six sets and other parking data to create a master parking restriction data set.
Cambridge Preschool Program Application Opens December 1
The City of Cambridge, in partnership with Cambridge Public Schools (CPS), announced today that applications for the Cambridge Preschool Program (CPP) will be accepted beginning this Friday. Overseen by the Cambridge Office of Early Childhood, CPP is a publicly-funded program that will provide free school-day, school-year preschool to every 4-year-old and some 3-year-olds living in Cambridge. Extended day and summer programs are available at an additional cost for most families.