The City’s Percent for Art Ordinance requires new City construction or major renovation projects to include site-specific public art in the amount of up to one percent of the total budget. The program commissions outstanding and enduring artworks for public sites including libraries, recreation buildings, and fire stations, that are created specifically for these spaces and their communities. Working with design professionals, community stakeholders, and neighborhood residents, the Program creates permanent site-specific public art that is community-driven and is a true reflection of the unique people and culture of its surroundings. The ground-breaking Percent for Art model was pioneered in Philadelphia in 1959 and has been replicated in cities across the country, reflecting the importance of incorporating art in the public landscape.
Percent for Art Opportunities
$135,000 Public Art Opportunity at Barrett Playground
Deadline: May 28, 2024
The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy (OACCE) and Rebuild announce a competition to commission site-specific, permanent public artworks to be installed at Barrett Playground at 641 Lindley Ave in North Philadelphia. This public art commission is possible through the City’s Percent for Art program and is part of a major Rebuild construction project at Barrett Playground that will include a new community building and significant outdoor site improvements.
The Barrett Percent for Art commission will provide an opportunity for one (1) artist or artist team to create two (2) complementary, indoor public artworks to be located in the main “Commons” area of the new community building. The first artwork will be a sculptural ceiling-hung art installation, and the second artwork will be an indoor art wall installation.
All interested artists are invited to apply for this public art commission. Given the multiple mediums required for these two artworks, artists are strongly encouraged to form multi-disciplinary artist teams if/as needed to fulfill the requirements for creating both artworks. There will be a non-mandatory Artist Information Meeting on zoom April 15, 5:30pm.
Percent for Art Updates
Percent For Art – Paschalville Library Renovation Project
See a sneak peak behind the scenes of in-progress Percent for Art as part of the Paschalville Library Renovation Project! Video created by James Davis, Greater Philadelphia Community Alliance.
Sign up to Receive Opportunities
Questions? Contact Public Art Director, Marguerite Anglin at marguerite.anglin@phila.gov
