A citywide art exhibit is being held to promote Hoboken artists and small businesses.

“Through the Windows Hoboken” is an art walk tour, with artwork placed in the windows of more than 70 small businesses throughout the city.

“I’ve got 144 different pieces of art from 144 different artists all under 18 showing right now inside,” says Stephen Bailey, owner of D’s Soul Full Café.

The art tour is sponsored by the Hoboken Business Alliance. Most of the artists have ties to Hoboken.

“I think this helps get people back out there… In the art world, there’s so many times you have to apply for things, it costs money. And it's hard being an artist and hustling that. This is a program about community,” says artist Chesleigh Meade.

Meade’s work is on display at AXD Boutique. The art tour gives Meade and artists like her a chance to have their work seen and potentially purchased. And it also gets more people to come to local businesses that are still struggling from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You spark conversation. People come in and go look at this and look at that and then they turn around and see my menu,” Bailey says.

Businesses involved include restaurants, clothing stores, beauty shops and barbershops. The art is set to stay in these windows through June, but organizers say it’s gotten such a great response that they may extend into July. There is talk already of making it an annual art walk.