“The People’s Art”: Taking It to the Streets for 10 Years

For a decade, SaveArtSpace has transformed New York’s streets into open-air galleries, reclaiming advertising spaces as canvases for public expression. As jurors for The People’s Art, we’re proud to celebrate this milestone 10th-anniversary exhibition, continuing the tradition of putting art directly into the streets—where it has always belonged.

From the earliest graffiti writers to the street artists of today, creatives have long turned to public space, short-circuiting the existing system and taking their work to the streets. The billboards in this exhibition honor that history, bypassing traditional gatekeepers and giving artists a direct line to the city itself. No red tape, no VIP lists—just the raw, immediate impact of art in the urban landscape.

SaveArtSpace co-founder Travis Rix has been a driving force behind this direction in the last decade, ensuring that artists—regardless of background or formal representation—have access to some of the most visible walls in the world. This year’s exhibition continues that mission, giving up to 50 artists the chance to showcase their work across New York.

We invite artists of all ages and talents to submit their artwork between March 3, 2024, and April 14, 2025. A $10 donation per image submission helps fund the project and is tax-deductible. Selected artists will be announced after April 28, 2025, and their work will go up on billboards starting May 30, 2025, staying on view for at least a month. The celebration doesn’t stop there—chosen works will also be exhibited at Satellite Gallery (279 Broome St, NYC) with an opening night anniversary party on May 30, 2025, from 6-9 PM.

This is a street-wise event, a New York tradition, and a tribute to the artists who take their work straight to the public. Below, we look at a few past billboards that turned the city into a gallery—proof that art in the commons isn’t just possible, it’s necessary.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

SaveArtSpace is proud to present our 10th Anniversary celebration The People’s Art, a group public art exhibition on billboard ad space in New York, NY, opening May 30, 2025, curated by Anne-Laure Lemaitre, RJ Rushmore, Zahra Sherzad, Steven P. Harrington and Jaime Rojo, & Travis Rix.

The selected artists will also be exhibited at Satellite Gallery, 279 Broome St, NYC, with a one-night opening reception anniversary party on May 30, 2025.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

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