Welcome
If you believe in art as an expression of community, and you like seeing it in public, you’ve come to the right place.
Poster Image
Poster Spotlight - Now half price! Ten dollars!
Sidewalk Musician
Sidewalk musician,
the shoppers stop to listen.
Sweet sounds fill the air.
When this 2022 poster was created, the flatiron building on the corner of Washington and Warren was the home of City Hall Commons. The building is currently vacant but the atrium attached to it is bursting with artistic energy! It is currently the home of Art In The Atrium, a gallery project of CNY Arts. Free and open to the public, check them out during regular hours: Friday 12-5, and Saturday and Sunday 12-8.
Poet Cynthia Perrine and artist Thomas Harris knew nothing about Art In The Atrium of course, and didn't care about City Hall Commons per se. They were interested in conveying the sights and sounds of our particular urban tableaux. It was Thomas who chose this particular vantage point, finding it especially emblematic of downtown Syracuse. This was the only poster done by either poet or artist. You can check out what Thomas is up to at thomasharris.dog.
You can buy this poster at a discount this week. Just click on the poster. And if you would like to ship it to far-flung family or friends, we're happy to take care of that for you.
Current Posters (2025 Series)
Our Story
The Syracuse Poster Project, established in 2001, brings together community poets and artists to create an annual series of poetry posters for the city’s poster panels.
It's our mission to foster community through civic poster art, develop ways for that art to sustain itself, and provide opportunities for local poets and artists to develop their craft.
Each year we produce 10 or more art posters, each featuring an illustrated poem about downtown, the city, or nearby countryside. The Project enlivens the city, builds community, and spreads its value by selling poster prints and poster-related products.
For the 2025 series, we invited poets to submit haiku and other short-form poetry about a series of 14 legendary Syracuse businesses. The call for poetry drew 260 poems from 85 poets. We then allocated a handful of poems to each participating artist. In all, 41 artists submitted posters.
In November, an independent panel selected the 14 winning posters. After a period of refinement, we released the posters at an unveiling celebration, April 25.
The 2025 posters now remain on display through April, 2026, in the kiosks of Salina and Warren streets and the poster boxes in front of the Salina Street post office.
You can participate in our activities by submitting poetry, joining our call for artists, volunteering, making a donation, or buying our products. We offer a growing array of goods, including Syracuse posters, note cards, postcards, haiku booklets, and books on poster art and haiku. All proceeds from donations and sales directly fund our work. Your support sustains us.
If you live in Central New York, perusing these pages will confirm your love of certain landmarks, parks, neighborhoods and native experience. You’ll also deepen your appreciation of the creative community, learning about Syracuse poets and Syracuse artists, and the city that inspires them. You’ll find your neighbors, colleagues, teachers from your grade or high school, and other acquaintances. In short, you’ll discover that Syracuse’s creative community is your community.
If you’re new to the region or passing through, browse these pages as you would a quirky travel guide. You’ll find, conveyed through Syracuse art and poetry, an assortment of places and experiences that stir the hearts of locals. Well-known landmarks, as you’d expect, but also plenty of subtle, backyard epiphanies. If you’re looking for Syracuse souvenirs, we’ll send you home with a poster unique to this region. Explore our full collection of Syracuse art posters. And while you’re here, compose a short Syracuse poem and send it to us. We love the fresh vision of travelers!
Testimonials
Read comments from some of our poets, artists, and other happy poster peeps
I love the way that the Syracuse Poster Project highlights the things that make this city such a unique place to live.I think the Syracuse Poster Project is a really positive addition to our community, and it's something I'm really excited to be participating in.
After so many years, the unveiling was a great reminder of what the project does, letting people have free access to an amazing art experience on the streets of Syracuse!
I'm thrilled the posters are placed around Syracuse. It allows people to take pride in their city and it brings a little color and inspiration for all to enjoy.
The artist seemed to have peered into my soul and read my words there. For perhaps the first and only time I felt that someone had actually understood what I had hoped to say in one of my poems.
I really felt honored to be a part of the Syracuse Poster Project because it has a really long lineage of really great paintings to come out of the illustration department. I'm really excited to have been a part of it and done this painting alongside the poet.
We love your Erie Canal Poster. It correctly reflects a sense of moving forward towards a bright future for the canal while still reminding us of the canal's incredible history.Thank you for offering a great poster to support such a wonderful resource.
The more I've learned about the Syracuse Poster Project, I realized that public art benefits us all and now I take notice in ways I hadn't before.
Your posters stopped me in my tracks when I first moved to town--beautiful tributes to the most underrated city around.
Thank you so very much for conceiving of and nurturing this amazing project that marries poetry and art and promotes where we live! It is such a gift to our community!
Thanks for doing this every year. I know it's a lot of work but it's a great thing and there are many of us who enjoy it and many more who enjoy it without even realizing it!
Growing up in Syracuse as a first-generation child of Vietnamese immigrants, I was inspired by the city's vibrant artwork and posters, sparking my passion for art and leading me to explore graphic design and marketing. Pursuing a minor in arts administration deepened my appreciation for art and fueled my desire to use design for storytelling and advocacy. I deeply admire the Syracuse Poster Project for showcasing local artists and embracing diversity, representing a wide range of differences.
