North Adams Announces Downtown Crosswalk Art Project

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.— The City of North Adams announced a public art project for downtown North Adams.

The project involves the selection of four artists to create artwork for eight downtown crosswalks. Each selected artist will receive a $2,000 honorarium for design and implementation. The project aims to enhance the visual appeal of the city for residents and visitors.

The initiative follows a previous project that placed artwork on ten downtown electrical boxes.

The project is a collaboration between the Cultural District Committee, Public Arts Commission, Assets for Artists, City Councilor Andrew Fitch and Mayor Jennifer Macksey.

Project Details:

• Four artists will each paint two crosswalks.
• The City of North Adams will prepare the crosswalks for painting.
• Artists will be assigned specific painting windows due to street closure limitations.
• Crosswalk locations:
  • Main Street & American Legion Drive
  • Main Street & Eagle Street
  • Main Street & Holden Street
  • Holden Street & Center Street
  • Eagle Street & Church Street
  • Ashland Street & Main Street
  • Center Street & Marshall Street
  • Eagle Street & Center Street

Project Timeline:

• March 17: Open call begins
• April 4: Submission deadline
• April 14: Decision notification, crosswalk assignment, and request for final design submission
• May 16 - June 6: Painting period
• June 6: Finished product showcase at June First Friday

Submission Requirements:

• One crosswalk art design example (.jpeg or .pdf)
• Contact information
• Statement of connection to and interest in North Adams
• Optional: Link to website and/or social media page

Selected artists will be assigned two crosswalks with dimensions and must submit a final design for approval by April 25.

Submit art here

The North Adams Cultural District Committee, funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s Cultural District Funding and other grants, is coordinating the project.

Macksey, Shade Pledge Compassion, Accountability as City Leaders

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
01:27PM / Thursday, January 01, 2026

 

Mayor Jennifer Macksey was sworn into a third term on Thursday; Councilor Ashley Shade was unanimously elected council president. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A new government took the reins at City Hall on New Year's Day, pledging to move North Adams forward with compassion and accountability.

 

"My focus, as your mayor, has been and will continue to be, one of restoring accountability, stability, strengthening city operations and making meaningful progress of long standing challenges," said Mayor Jennifer Macksey, entering her third term. "City government has worked to move from reaction to action, addressing deferred issues, while laying the foundation for future growth."

 

The swearing in on New Year's Day included the election of Ashley Shade as council president and Andrew Fitch as vice president. 

 

Shade, also entering her third term, reflected on leadership as it relates to small communities and North Adams in particularly.

 

"It is where I learned that community is not something you inherit. It is something you practice. You practice it when times are easy and you practice it even more when times are not," she said. "I have said before that the city needs to renew its focus on investing in our most important resource — this city, the people of North Adams. I believe that with my whole heart, because, yeah, buildings matter and roads matter and budgets matter, but people, people are where everything begins."

 

The city has not only a woman mayor and woman council president, but also a majority of women on the City Council for the first time in its history.

 

Ceremonies were held in Council Chambers on Thursday morning, with state Rep. John Barrett III and city department heads in attendance. Family and friends filled the seats to see the new council and School Committee members take their oaths.