Karin Goodfellow (pronouns: she/her/hers) is a dedicated advocate and visionary leader in public art and policy, deeply committed to fostering human-centered relationships. She believes in transformative artworks as opportunities for connection and revelation on the journey toward just and vibrant communities.

Currently, as Director of Transformative Art and Monuments in the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, she leads the creation and implementation of policies and projects related to reimagining Boston’s public art landscape and sets the vision and direction of the public art team. Notably, she secured a $3 million grant from the Mellon Foundation, launching the multimedia Un-monument | Re-monument | De-Monument initiative to promote a citywide democratic dialogue with a coalition of arts and culture leaders.

As Boston’s first Director of Public Art, she shaped the city’s burgeoning public art program for over 16 years, leading the Boston Art Commission and creating initiatives like PaintBox, Transformative Public Art, and Boston Artists-in-Residence, and piloting art inclusion in capital projects leading to Percent-for-Art. She established consultancies for Indigenous Public Art and Cultural Spaces, murals, and conservation. Goodfellow also designed and co-led the art process for the high-profile monument The Embrace.

Goodfellow holds degrees from Dartmouth College, Harvard University, and MIT.

Photo: Malakhai Pearson