Sculptures are common public art, but it also can take the form of murals or any style of artwork that is designed to be displayed in a public space. The City’s collection of public art is spread throughout the community in parks, civic spaces, libraries and museums, schools, police and fire stations and transportation hubs. It is an expression of the diverse culture and heritage of our city and serves to foster a sense of place.
Historically, public art has been used for many different purposes, including to commemorate people or events, to beautify, to communicate information, to act as a political tool or to promote an ethos. It appears in a wide variety of forms that can mimic or depart from more traditional sculptures and monuments, architecture, paintings, murals, site-specific installations, land and environmental art and even graffiti. The shared denominator is that public art is intended to be experienced in a democratic and free sphere outside of the narrow confines of the gallery or museum.
Static public art refers to works that have a predetermined lifespan and will not change over time. Examples include murals on walls and statues carved from marble or bronze. Other forms of static public art are etched glass, ceiling panels, textiles, pavers, lighting fixtures, stair railings and risers, and landscape design.
Temporary public art has a predetermined period of life and will eventually be removed or replaced, such as an installation created for a festival or a work that is intended to be experienced in a specific way and then left behind (eg., Andy Goldsworthy’s Wheatfield – A Confrontation). Another useful synonym for this type of art is ephemeral.
Public art can also be found in the form of a painted sign or graffiti that will eventually wash away or be erased. While the City supports the use of public spaces for artistic expression, it does not support any unauthorized markings that may damage property or be considered illegal under City codes. For this reason, we have strict laws against vandalism and encourage you to contact the City’s Public Arts Initiative if you wish to report an offense.
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy is responsible for stewarding more than 1,000 works of public art across the City. Find out more about each piece of art and its location through our interactive map. In addition, you can explore historic murals and public sculptures in the City with our online catalog. If you would like to share a photograph or video of a public artwork, please contact the artist to obtain permission. The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative economy manages the public art program, which includes a grant funding pool to support new art projects and maintenance of existing works. This is done with the assistance of a Task Force appointed for each project to help set goals, support community engagement, recommend artists and review concept designs. If you are interested in serving on a Task Force, please fill out an application here.