Best Practices Process for Public Art in the City of Newburgh

• Pay artists

We believe that artists who provide their talents and services should be paid. Promotion, name recognition, and advertisement are generally not viewed as adequate forms of compensation by this Commission and should not be offered in lieu of appropriate payment (although those things are wonderful and encouraged in addition to payment).

• Consider Newburgh artists!

Newburgh is home to a thriving community of artists from many different backgrounds, bases of experience, and walks of life. We encourage groups to consider local, Newburgh-based artists in planning their projects and request that all RFP’s are open to Newburgh artists. We can provide you with a (always evolving) list of artists currently working and/or living in Newburgh.

• Have you checked whether your project is located in either of the City of Newburgh’s historic districts? If it is, check with the following guidelines.

Newburgh is a historic city with policies in place to protect its unique architectural wealth. Works on, in or around buildings in Newburgh’s East End Historic District or in the Colonial Terraces Historic District may require approval from the City of Newburgh’s Architectural Review Commission. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) also has resources available online about Standards & Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties. 

• Are you making art that is provocative and/or around a social issue?

Please do it! We do not engage in any form of content vetting or censorship. We do suggest and encourage extra programming around any public art that may be provocative, triggering, or socially divisive.

As you enter into the creation of public art in Newburgh, we encourage you to consider these goals as defined by the community through a public process. The Newburgh Arts and Cultural Commission will work to assist you in any way we can and encourages you to engage in the Review Process for Public Art.