Public Art - Nevada Arts Council

2 | Monograph | March 2004
Number and Type of Public Art Programs
Today, there are more than 350 public art
programs that support thousands of artists’
projects in airports, train stations, libraries, parks,
streetscapes, government buildings, and
neighborhoods—urban, suburban, and rural. The
majority of public art programs (81 percent) are
housed within a public agency—an office of
cultural affairs, arts commission, or some other
operating department. Most programs involve
volunteer commissioners and committee members
in addition to a significant amount of staff time.
Many programs also contract with outside
vendors, such as planning consultants,
conservators, public relations specialists, Web
designers, writers, researchers, and photographers.
Some programs have begun to hire artists to serve
on design teams and participate in city planning
or use artist-in-residence strategies to engage
communities in the process.
In October 2003, the Public Art Network
released the first comprehensive, national
survey of public art programs in the United
States. The survey studied budgets, funding
sources, program administration, and how
programs work with artists. The resulting survey
report, Public Art Programs Fiscal Year 2001:
A Detailed Statistical Report on the Nation’s
Public Art Programs, is the source for the
public art program information found in this
Monograph. A copy can be ordered from
the Americans for the Arts bookstore at
Adams Street Bridge, Longfellow Creek
Habitat Improvement Project, Lorna Jordan,
artist. Photo courtesy of City of Seattle
Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.
A majority of programs either commission or
purchase permanent works of art, such as
sculptures, murals, mosaics, decorative features,
or functional elements. These are typically
viewed as enhancements, contributing to public
improvement or civic construction projects.
Leading programs, such as that of Seattle’s Office
of Arts & Cultural Affairs, have sought strategies
to offer more diverse public programming and
artist services, including exhibitions; educational
workshops; slide registries; and sophisticated,
interactive websites.
Private nonprofit organizations, such as the
Tucson Pima (AZ) Arts Council and the
Regional Arts and Culture Council in Portland,
OR, also operate public art programs as part of a
larger set of programs and services. A select few,
such as Creative Time and the Public Art Fund
in New York City, operate independently. The
flexibility of these programs usually results in a
greater diversity of activities, from emerging
artist programs and temporary installations to
community events and educational offerings.
www.AmericansForTheArts.org.
www.AmericansForTheArts.org