The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the company selected to build and operate the highly anticipated $4.2 billion Terminal 6 (T6) at John F. Kennedy International Airport, set to open to passengers in 2026, today announced that an additional public art commission has been awarded. Artist Jane Dickson has been selected to create a bronze medallion for the arrivals plaza, where arriving passengers will first set foot in New York City as they depart the terminal. The art program is led by Public Art Fund, the independent nonprofit organization dedicated to art in public spaces.
Dickson, who lives and works in New York City, joins 18 featured artists (including 10 others from New York) who will capture the spirit of the city with a diverse range of artworks seamlessly integrated into the terminal. The exterior medallion, located at the arrivals plaza, will welcome visitors and will be located near a terrace with greenery. The 14-foot-diameter circular medallion will be fabricated in durable cast bronze using low-relief casting techniques. Masterwork Plaques, known for their expertise in ground-based artwork, will collaborate with Dickson to translate her vision into bronze.
Dickson frequently makes New York City her subject and has pioneered the exhibition of digital public artworks in New York City. In 1982, she initiated the Public Art Fund series Messages to the Public, which displayed works by artists including Keith Haring, David Hammons, and Jenny Holzer on Times Square’s Spectacolor billboard.
“Great works of public art are a signature part of our strategy to build new, world-class airport terminals that will create a sense of place unique to New York,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “In addition to an already extensive art program at Terminal 6, the bronze medallion to be located in the arrivals plaza will provide a fitting welcome to a city that is considered the art capital of the world.”
“Great works of art that communicate the culture and diversity of our region will help to make our new terminals an inspiring and appealing part of a traveler’s journey,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Just as we have done at LaGuardia and at Newark Liberty’s Terminal A, the public art at JFK’s new Terminal 6 will dazzle travelers and transform the new terminal into a cultural destination in and of itself.”
“As an international gateway to the city, JFK Terminal 6 will be inspiring, including when you step out the door,” said George Casey, Chairman of JFK Millennium Partners and Chair & CEO of Vantage Group. “Our commitment to transforming the JFK travel experience will create moments of reflection and connection throughout the terminal’s new spaces.”
“The art program at Terminal 6 captures the spirit of New York City as a global destination for art and culture,” said Nicholas Baume, artistic & executive director of Public Art Fund. “After experiencing the stunning works of art inside the building, arriving travelers will step outside to be greeted by Jane Dickson’s striking bronze medallion.”
The Terminal 6 art program supports the Port Authority’s vision to create a world-class passenger experience at JFK through inspirational public art, operational excellence, 21st-century technology, and world-class functionality. Following successful prior partnerships at the award-winning, internationally recognized terminals at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B and Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A, Public Art Fund was selected by JFK Millennium Partners to develop the JFK Terminal 6 art program.
Public Art Fund has worked collaboratively to develop the art program with key stakeholders including The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and JFK Millennium Partners’ consulting architect Stanis Smith. Site-specific public art commissions by 19 leading artists drawn from New York, as well as national and international communities, will be integrated throughout the new terminal.
JFK Millennium Partners is developing Terminal 6 in two phases, with the opening of the first section expected in 2026 and construction completion in 2028. New York Gov. Hochul celebrated the placement of the last piece of structural steel for the new terminal in October 2024.
