Celebrating city wide connections
Triennial 2025 by the numbers
The impact of public art appears in the moments when people gather, pause, and view a city, and one another, in a new light. For the hundreds of thousands of visitors, the 75+ cultural partners, 19 visionary artists, and generous donors who made Triennial 2025: The Exchange possible, you felt it. You’ve helped start a movement of more—more art and more connection.
With all new commissions, we’ve helped reimagine how art can belong to everyone.
Geography and Participation
Over six months, Triennial 2025 connected artists, neighborhoods, and partners in ways that redefined what public art can do for Boston.
24 public artworks in 8 neighborhoods
Projects, made exclusively for Triennial 2025, spanned Boston’s diverse neighborhoods, from East Boston to Mattapan, with easy-to-reach projects in Boston’s downtown area.
75 Cultural Partners and 115 free events
Museums, schools, libraries, and community groups collaborated to bring art to life. The Triennial supported the inclusion of Boston-based visual arts, performing arts, community services, climate advocacy, youth service, and other aligned organizations with over $140,000 in participation stipends.
Access was at the heart of the Triennial, bringing art to where people already are and creating moments of connection in everyday spaces.
Press and Recognition
The Exchange sparked a citywide and national conversation about the role of public art in public life. Coverage across major outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, Observer, Frieze, Sculpture Magazine, and The Boston Globe, amplified Boston’s public art story, reaching audiences far beyond the city. While local press ‘GBH, WBUR, WCVB, Art New England, El Mundo Boston, Misstropolis, and Boston Art Review made sure locals knew the exhibition was built for and by fellow Bostonians.
Highlights:
278 pieces of media coverage across print, digital, and social
2.66 million estimated views of coverage
1.41 billion total audience reach
Read the reviews on our on our press page.
Artists and Representations
Triennial 2025 featured 16 artists curated by Artistic Director Pedro Alonzo and Curator Tess Lukey for the Triennial, 4 curated by cultural institutions, and one site of permanent public art. Over 75% of the artists identified as BIPOC, and 30% are from the Greater Boston area. Their works ranged from immersive sound installations and participatory rituals to sculptural interventions and performance. Together, they reflected the city’s complexity, with artists rooted in Boston’s beloved spaces addressing questions of belonging, environment, and shared space.
Learn more about the Curators’ vision and process here.
Community and Collaboration
At its heart, The Exchange was about people coming together—artists, partners, and neighbors shaping ideas for public spaces. Each project carried the fingerprints of collaboration, built on trust, care, and conversation that continues across the city today.
532 funding partners, from individuals to corporations to institutions, helped make this all possible. Please help us thank them!
A Lasting Legacy
While The Exchange has come to a close, its impact continues. Many projects remain visible across the city, and others live on through new relationships, collaborations, and ideas sparked during the Triennial.
If you were moved by Triennial 2025 or have suggestions for helping us shape Triennial 2028, please take a moment to share your thoughts with this survey.
We look forward to sharing a complete evaluation of Triennial 2025, created by an independent consultant, in early 2026.