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Public Art Network
Americans for the Arts' Public Art Network (PAN) is the only professional network in the United States dedicated to the field of public art. As a program of Americans for the Arts, PAN strengthens efforts to advocate for policies and best practices that serve communities creating public art. More than 350 public art programs exist in the United States at the federal, state, and local levels. The PAN network brings together artists, community members, and art and design professionals through online resources, professional development and education opportunities, knowledge-sharing practices, and strategic partnerships.
Networking and Outreach | Public Art Network Award | Year in Review | PAN Listserv
- To provide information and resources that identify best practice in order to further the field of public art and guide its management and implementation
- To advocate for policies in support of public art as part of our civic design infrastructure to improved our communities
- To develop strategies and advocacy tools to serve artists, administrators, and allied professionals for the purpose of promoting the broad spectrum of public art and design
The PAN Council acts as a national elected advisory body for the Public Art Network. Learn about current members, terms, committees.
PAN is dedicated to developing services and products for the field, including nuts and bolts tools such as bibliographies, resource guides, and issue papers.
Americans for the Arts has developed exceptional research and planning tools for the field of public art.
- Public Art Network Best Practice Goals and Guidelines (PDF, 31KB)
- Agreement for Commission of Public Artwork between Artist and Non-Agency - Private Entity (PDF, 170KB)
- Public Art Programs Fiscal Year 2001: A Detailed Statistical Report on the Budgets and Programming of the Nation’s Public Art Programs (PDF, 2MB)
- NEW! Abridged Call for Artists Guidelines, June 2009 (PDF, 150KB)
- Methods of Artist Selection (issue paper, PDF, 132KB)
- Annotated Model Public Art Commission Agreement (PDF, 309KB)
- Monograph: Public Art Funding: Developing Percent-for-Art Programs (PDF, 3,883KB)
- Monograph: Public Art: An Essential Component of Creating Communities (PDF, 345KB)
- Monograph: Public Art Controversy: Cultural Expression and Civic Debate (PDF, 1,612KB)
If you are new to the field or an established practitioner, PAN collects resources to help connect you with new ideas, research, and information relevant to public art in your community.
Need help with a question or want to spread the word about a current project? PAN provides opportunities for colleagues to network, research, and learn. E-mail the Manager of Public Art to help answer questions and guide you to available resources. You can also post information, artist calls, and queries on the PAN listserv.
The PAN Council developed the Public Art Network Award to recognize leaders in the field. The award is presented annually at the public art network conference. You can submit nominations for the award and view bios of past receipts online.
Since 2001, the Public Art Network’s Year in Review has annually recognized outstanding public art projects through an open call/submission and curation/selection process. Each year, two public art professionals are selected as curators to review more than 200 project applications of work installed or completed in the previous calendar year and select 40 public art projects that represent the most compelling work for the year from across the country. The Public Art Network’s Year in Review program is the only national award that specifically recognizes public art projects. The field is advanced by the commitment of artists to produce exceptional work, public art programs and administrators who facilitate public processes, and the two independent curators all of whom dedicate time and thoughtful detail. The Year in Review projects are available on CD for use in educational contexts and for public art advocacy.
2008 Year in Review projects list (PDF, 20KB)
2007 Year in Review projects list (PDF, 61KB)
2006 Year in Review projects list (PDF, 14KB)
View the Year in Review online. (All presentations below require Flash multimedia player for the Internet. Download the player.)
2005 Year in Review
Curators: Donald Lipski, artisit, and Sherry Kafka Wagner, urban design and planning consultant
2004 Year in Review
Curators: Ellen Driscoll, artist, and Glenn Harper, editor of Sculpture Magazine
2003 Year in Review
Curators: Patricia Phillips, writer, and Henry Sayre, art historian
2002 Year in Review
Curators: Benito Huerta, artists, and Nancy Princenthal, writer
2001 Year in Review
Curators: Harriet F. Senie and Jack Becker
Available to all Americans for the Arts members, listserv participants frequently post artist opportunities. In addition, opportunities are posted in the PAN monthly e-newsletter. To join the listserv click here.