Percent for art policies generally apply to any municipal capital improvement project where a determined percentage of the total project budget is set aside for public art. These policies also address how the money is to be spent on the acquisition and commissioning of public artworks. Within the cities and counties sampled percent for art ordinances have been on the books as early as 1959 (Philadelphia) and as recently as 2003 (Charlotte). Overall there is little variation in the structure of these ordinances. In most cases the municipal arts council is responsible for the administration of the funds and the artwork, but a few cities leave the power in the hands of city government. Los Angeles and Tampa extend the reach of the percent for art ordinance to include private commercial development in addition to municipal projects. This document includes samples of percent for art ordinances from Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; King County, Washington; Los Angeles, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; Portland, Oregon; San Jose, California; and Tampa, Florida.

This document includes samples of percent for art ordinances from Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; King County, Washington; Los Angeles, California; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; Portland, Oregon; San Jose, California; and Tampa, Florida.