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Cambridge Selects Heather Kapplow as First Artist in Government Public Health Department Will Host 12-18 Month Residency CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 30, 2026 -- The City of Cambridge has selected artist Heather Kapplow as its inaugural Artist in Government, launching a new initiative designed to infuse creative thinking into municipal operations and spark fresh approaches to civic challenges. Kapplow, a conceptual artist whose work has been exhibited across the U.S. and internationally, won the unanimous support of a community panel to assume this role. Dozens of artists applied for the Artists in Government post. The panel narrowed the field to seven contenders representing a wide range of artistic genres. The finalists included individuals and teams with backgrounds in music, poetry, dance, architecture, film, and acting. “The richness of the applicant pool made this decision very difficult,” said Cambridge Arts Executive Director, Jason Weeks. “It was truly a reflection of the amazing talent and creativity based here in Cambridge and the region.” Kapplow, based in Allston, creates participatory experiences using installation, sound, text, objects, and engagement strategies that invite audiences to become collaborators. Kapplow’s work transforms complex questions into shared explorations, held with curiosity, care, and a spirit of collective imagination. Kapplow will take up residence at the Cambridge Public Health Department, the initiative’s first host agency. Nancy Rihan-Porter, CPHD’s Director for Resilience and Emergency Preparedness, was a member of the selection panel. “I can’t wait for Heather to get started,” she said. “Innovation in public health must advance equity. Heather’s work meets people where they are, creating welcoming, culturally responsive spaces for voices that are too often unheard. This artist brings an energy and curiosity that could take the project in a number of directions. It promises to be a fascinating journey.” During the residency, Kapplow will gain insight into Public Health Department operations, collaborate with staff, and develop a public facing project shaped by these interactions. “I’m deeply honored and excited to be invited into the inner workings of the City of Cambridge’s labor attending to the wellbeing of everyone who lives, works and visits the city. It feels like a tremendous gift to get to learn about what offering care means at the scale of a city, and all of the levels that that involves--from the everyday care, to the emergency/crises care--and everything in between. My practice involves exploring complicated questions about what being a community means… and holding these questions together, both playfully and earnestly. Selection panelist and Cambridge resident Luis Cotto shared: “Heather Kapplow’s work challenges us to think differently about how we engage with one another and with the systems that shape our wellbeing. Kapplow brings a practice rooted in participation, curiosity, and care—creating space for conversations that don’t always fit neatly into traditional public health approaches but are essential to building a more connected and resilient Cambridge.” To find more updates about Heather’s work in the Public Health Department, visit the website cambridgema.gov/artistsingovernment and follow the Cambridge Public Health Department social media accounts. This initiative is co-managed by the Community Development Department and Cambridge Arts, and is funded through New England Development mitigation funds to support local artists.
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