These FAQ’s represent some of the most common questions about the field of public art from artists, administrators, and the many stakeholders involved with public art commissions. They were sourced from over 15 years of member questions on the PAN Listserv, which has served artists and professionals since 2004 as a means to connect with peers in the field, discuss current issues, trends and best practices, and to share Calls for Artists, planning documents and other items developed by the field. The PAN Listserv and Listserv Archive are benefits of membership in Americans for the Arts, and the listserv continues to serve members on a daily basis.
Increasingly, percent for art legislation and local ordinances are written to encourage or mandate that private development (above a certain monetary threshold) participate in percent for art laws. The requirements of participation vary from location to location, with some programs mandating the creation of new artworks, some offering incentives in return for participation (like greater floor-area-ratios or increased building height limits), and others accepting an alternative contribution to a general fund used and administered by the local public art program. In most cases, percent for art laws include some combination of these factors and are tailored to the needs of the community.