Cross Street Revitalization Memorial RFQ: CALL FOR ARTISTS
A long-term public art commission to create a memorial at the historic gateway of Cross and Hanover Street in Boston’s North End that honors the contributions of Italian immigrants while uplifting the neighborhood’s broader role as a place of arrival, labor, and community-building.
Project Working Title: Mani Forti: A Journey of Love Progress & Promise
Learn More: http://manifortinorthend.com
APPLICATION OPENS: Monday, March 30, 2026
DEADLINE FOR RESPONSES: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Application Materials :
- RFQ Overview
- Slideroom Application (portal link here)
ABOUT
The North End Italian Immigration Memorial Committee (IAMC) seeks an artist or artist-led team to create a long-term public memorial honoring the contributions of Italian immigrants to the North End, the City of Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States of America. The IAMC’s working title for the fundraising, design, and construction of the project is Mani Forti: A Journey of Love Progress & Promise. The proposed memorial location is on the Cross Street Plaza, at the intersection of Cross Street and Hanover Street, along the Freedom Trail and adjacent to the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy is supporting the administration of this project. The selected artist or artist team will be commissioned to design, fabricate, and install a long-term memorial that will be subject to review and approval by the Boston Art Commission and other necessary stakeholders.
This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is the first phase of a two-phase artist selection process. Through this RFQ, the project partners seek to identify up to three (3) Artist Finalists whose experience, artistic practice, and approach align with the goals and scale of the project. Selected finalists will be invited to participate in a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP) phase, during which they will be financially compensated to develop full design proposals informed by site research and community engagement.