Considered one of the most pedestrian-friendly cities of the world, and number one in the United States, New York City is also known for promoting art and culture around its corners, making the citizens and visitors more pleasant to explore the streets on foot.
In 2017, LinkNYC and the New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) added #ArtOnLink to their list of cultural programs. This new proposal consists of a collaboration with local artists to allow them to launch their works of art in more than 1,700 active links in the five boroughs.
In case you wonder what “Link” is, if you live in New York City, you have probably seen their screens and even used them, but you didn’t know their name yet.
“LinkNYC is a first-of-its-kind communications network that will replace over 7,500 pay phones across the five boroughs with new structures called Links. Each Link provides superfast, free public Wi-Fi, phone calls, device charging and a tablet for access to city services, maps and directions.”
—LinkNYC Official
When I started to see these art-filled screens while walking in the city, I thought it was amazing how you could feel like you're in a kind of "Walking Gallery" on your way, everywhere. As an artist, I saw it as an excellent opportunity to exhibit my work. I remember wondering what the requirements were to participate.
After a while, inspired by what I see in my daily life in the city, I create the series "New Yorker Fiction". I saw so many different people and places every day that caught my attention, that I decided to start drawing them to give them a story and a touch of my surreal eye. .
Once I began to share my content of New York on social media, the first thing that came up to my head was to appear in #ArtOnLink, so I started using the hashtag and tagging their account (@linknycofficial) in my Instagram posts. A few weeks later, one of the LinkNYC team members invites me to participate in the program. So, if you are an artist creating content related to NYC and you are wondering how to be part of #ArtOnLink, this is one way, also, you can submit an application through their website here.
