A new exhibition titled "Faces, Places, and Spaces" at the Somerville Museum highlights the issue of artist displacement in Greater Boston. Curated by the Art Stays Here Coalition, the show features portraits of 66 artists who have been supported by the organization since its founding in 2020, when it helped save the 44-studio Humphrey Street Studios in Dorchester from closure. The exhibition uses display boards and local news coverage to document 15 preservation projects across Massachusetts, including several in Somerville such as Joy Street Studios and Central Street Studios.
The exhibition matters because it raises public awareness about artist displacement, a little-known consequence of gentrification and rising rents. According to The Boston Globe, an estimated 2 million square feet of artist space was lost in Greater Boston from 2013 to 2023. By telling the stories of displaced artists and promoting policy solutions, the coalition aims to preserve existing creative spaces and create new ones, emphasizing the cultural and economic value artists bring to communities. The show positions artist displacement as a systemic issue requiring collective action.