Everyday Poems for City Sidewalk builds a city whose streets are paved with poetry.  The project is created by Saint Paul’s City Artist in Residence, Marcus Young, with The Department of Public Works and Public Art Saint Paul.  This work of conceptual art re-imagines Saint Paul’s existing sidewalk maintenance program to imprint poetry as the City goes about its normal business of replacing broken sidewalks.   The project transforms the City walkways into a public book and creates everyday moments of open-air reading for its residents.  Started in 2008, the work is ongoing and aspires to alter permanently the City’s system of sidewalk repair.  To read the artist introduction to the project, click here. 

Each year we hold a citywide contest to invite new poems to our collection.  To read the guidelines for The Annual Saint Paul Sidewalk Poetry Contest, click here.

The Department of Public Works consists of several divisions that are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining over $2.9 billion in assets. Public Works is a proactive and diverse community-based City Department that, through creative partnerships, effective tools and technology, provides a livable community for Saint Paul residents.
 
Public Art Saint Paul, a non-profit established in 1987, engages artists in shaping the form and experience of Minnesota’s capital city. Public Art Saint Paul collaborates in the planning and design of public places and structures, creates permanent and temporary works of art, cleans and restores public artworks, and engages young people in awareness and stewardship of public place and public art.