Replies(3) Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday announced the creation of a New York City Artist Corps. (NYC Mayor's Office) NEW YORK CITY — The legacy of a New Deal-era arts program will inspire anew in New York City. Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday announced the creation of a "New York City Artist Corps," a $25 million investment in culture and the arts. The program will hire 1,500 artists to create murals, perform at pop-up shows and more across the city, de Blasio said. Subscribe "We want to give artists opportunity and we want the city to feel the power of our cultural community again," he said.