On a prominently situated lawn in historic Concord Center, the Town of Concord, Massachusetts seeks a temporary art installation to creatively interpret the ways in which people have struggled for the fight for freedom through time in this community. Taking inspiration from the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution in 2025, the town seeks artists to consider the ways in which two 19th century Concord residents – Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) and Ellen Garrison (1823 – 1892) – continued this fight for independence through the abolitionist cause. Through a visually compelling artwork, we hope to more deeply investigate a pivotal time in Concord’s past to bring overlooked stories to the fore and to more actively grapple with our generation’s work to provide liberty and justice for all.

This project is presented by the Town of Concord as part of “Making It Public,” a program of the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) with Forecast and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC). This program seeks to support more diverse, inclusive, and equitable public artmaking across Massachusetts.