New Mural Coming to Highland Avenue

February 23, 2026
• The Needham Council for Arts and Culture will decide between three design proposals after gathering public feedback.

A few months ago, the blank side of 1299 Highland Ave. got a new paint job. The building’s brick facade was painted white, seemingly creating a blank canvas for a new piece of art.

The Needham Council for Arts and Culture will now be tasked with filling the empty space with some color. They generated interest from 23 artists, whittling the pool down to three finalists.

A survey, set to go out today, will garner community input before the council makes its final decision March 3. Installation is planned for this spring. The council has not yet publicly shared the latest iterations of the design proposals.

The mural will be funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council — which provides annual grants — as well as the Town of Needham and Grossman Companies, who own the building. The NCAC set aside $7,500 for the project, or about 50% of the total funding, Chair Abby Bernstein said.

It’ll be the third mural site in town, joining the Needham Heights mural by Trader Joe’s and the mural in the alleyway off of Chapel Street.

The wall faces Highland Avenue near the Emery Grover Building and the intersection of May Street and Chapel Street. The building houses Pure Hockey, Needham Nail & Skin Care, SUPERCUTS and Mathnasium.

The high-traffic area is a primary factor in selecting the design, particularly for Grossman Companies. David Grossman said they are “in the risk-mitigation business,” which influences their selection.

“We want a beautiful, relatively bland piece of art on this canvas. We don’t want to incite emotion and strong reaction to it,” Grossman said at the council’s Jan. 14 meeting. “We do not want to take a risk and have people not want to come to the center because, I know this may be exaggerating, but that they just have strong feelings against it.”

Grossman Companies’ mission for the project, according to Bernstein, is to install “art that celebrates Needham, reinforces community pride and is welcoming to a diverse audience,” she said at their Jan. 14 meeting.

During the council’s mural subcommittee meeting on Friday, Bernstein said Grossman Companies would only be comfortable with finalist David Teng-Olsen’s design on the building. Members coalesced around his proposal — both for the art itself and how it fits into the space — but have yet to make an official recommendation for the council.

“We’re not a rubber stamp. While it’s their wall and they ultimately have veto power over the physical installation, we are equal partners in the project,” Bernstein said at the meeting. “Maintaining equity, fairness and transparency in our process is non-negotiable. We need to see how the public actually responds.”

A previous public survey last month solicited feedback on designs by artists Michael Talbot and Amanda Hill. Teng-Olsen, a finalist the committee initially disqualified for apparently missing a submission deadline, is back in the running.

The subcommittee shared their opinions on each of the three proposals before agreeing to send requests for design tweaks to the artists. They plan to meet again March 2 to issue a final recommendation before an all-council vote slated for March 3.

“I think where we’re heading is a wonderful direction,” member Steve Dornbusch said, “and it’s going to be a real asset to the town, and people are going to love it, whatever we end up doing.”

Photo courtesy of the Town of Needham.