Mattapan Open Streets/Open Studios is a community arts, design and placemaking initiative designed to support local artists, promote arts vibrancy in Mattapan and meet community development outcomes. Through free and inclusive activities and events, artist exhibits, performances and we will provide pop-up artisan markets, we will:
1. Build community;
2. Promote the local arts, cultural fabric, economy (creative economy) and;
3. Celebrate and uplift the built and cultural environments of Mattapan.

The “open streets” is about beautifying the built environment. We do this though Design Challenges. These are projects where following brainstorming sessions, residents and design partners are teamed up to create a functional art project (like decorative seating, murals, etc). The idea is for the creation to serve a functional purpose to the community. Each team will be given a small budget to design, fabricate and install a project (in compliance with specific guidelines) to transform existing spaces. Project ideas include but are not limited to bike racks, designing street furniture and mural contests. Projects can be temporary or permanent, as long as they meet our equitable placemaking guidelines (see on our website). The aim is to engage residents to work with partners to identify long term solutions to local landscape issues through collaboratively created functional art that both meet a need identified by the community and are accessible. Residents have brainstormed over 30 projects ideas at multiple different sites around the neighborhood. The goal now is to make these projects happen and come alive.