NYC ESCR Call for Art 2026: East River Park Neighbors Can Design Construction Fencing by 16 November
An art call that puts neighborhood work in a public space
New York City's East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) project is inviting original artwork by local residents and artists to be printed on construction fencing near East 10th Street and FDR Drive, close to East River Park in Manhattan. The submission deadline is Monday, November 16, 2026. Selected images are expected to appear during late 2026 or early 2027 while resilience-related construction remains under way.
The invitation explicitly addresses residents and artists of all ages near East 10th Street and East River Park. It is a neighborhood art and public-engagement opportunity rather than a worldwide illustration contest, a paid mural commission or a commercial fine-art exhibition.
Two themes tied to Lower Manhattan's waterfront
The organizer suggests two routes: artwork celebrating the stories, cultures and identities that make the New York City waterfront distinctive, or visual interpretations of what climate resilience means to the community. An artist might respond through photography, drawing, collage or a digitally prepared image, provided the finished work can reproduce as a static landscape-format panel.
This makes the call relevant to local digital artists and graphic designers as well as traditional visual-art practitioners. However, because the work will be printed on fencing, motion graphics, interactive software and unexportable digital formats would need translation into a suitable still image.
Submission rules: one artwork per person and no copyrighted imagery
Only one entry is allowed per person. The work must be the submitter's own original creation and cannot contain copyrighted images or business names. The artwork should be in landscape rather than portrait orientation and must function on a flat surface. The artist's own name must not appear on the front of the artwork.
For digital submissions, contact ESCRCCL1@ddccr.com and follow the official application instructions. Final selected images must reach at least 150 dpi at full printing dimensions. The online upload limit is 10 MB, and organizers prefer high-quality JPG or PNG files. If a final production-size version is too large, the official instructions permit an initial smaller preview accompanied by a note so the team can arrange delivery later.
Local drop boxes and physical drawing requirements
People submitting on paper may use the official call form and place their artwork in one of two designated drop boxes: the NYCHA Riis Houses Management Office, 454 East 10th Street, or Tompkins Square Library, 331 East 10th Street. Physical entries are recommended at approximately 11 by 17 inches, and submissions wider than 30 inches cannot be accepted.
The project also offers email contact for collection arrangements when needed. Artists submitting physical works should keep a record of what was sent and review the official flyer for any identification or return procedures. Guardians may need to assist children taking part, as the call welcomes participants of all ages.
Is this a paid opportunity?
The City’s current public announcement explains the outdoor display but does not promise a cash award, artist honorarium, paid licensing fee or reimbursement for every successful participant. It would therefore be inaccurate to advertise this as a guaranteed paid commission. Anyone needing clarity on usage rights, duration, printing, attribution or return of original art should request written terms before submission.
The official event page notes that selected work is displayed on construction fencing. That is a community visibility opportunity, not a sale of artwork to the municipality.
Organizer: an official coastal resilience infrastructure programme
East Side Coastal Resiliency is a public infrastructure project of the City of New York, with a dedicated government website documenting construction, community engagement, school outreach and earlier local artwork displays. The existing Call for Art 2022 page and Decorative Fencing Panels material show that residents' images have been part of its community outreach before.
The municipal webpage provides location, named drop-off sites, contact email, eligibility and image requirements. Those publicly verifiable details help residents identify the authentic initiative instead of sharing art files with an anonymous third party.
Official entry details
City of New York ESCR Call for Art 2026: https://www.nyc.gov/site/escr/community-engagement/call-for-art.page
Deadline: November 16, 2026. Digital submission coordination: ESCRCCL1@ddccr.com. Rules checked against the primary government source on October 19, 2026.