On June 25, Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) introduced the Saving Transit Art Resources (STAR) Act (H.R. 3437), which would reinstate flexibility and allow local transit authorities to incorporate art into federally-funded transit projects and facilities. Rep. Adams is uniquely situated to introduce a bill supporting local art in transit projects as a practicing artist and art history professor. 

Facebook is one of many large businesses that sees the value of investing in the global community’s arts ecosystem and is increasing its commitment to visual art and public art installations worldwide. To date, Facebook has commissioned 500 art installations, with 200 more planned this year, and has hired a new head of the company's artist-in-residency program.

Americans for the Arts today announced that the Southside Civic Lab of Fayetteville, Arkansas, has been awarded the Robert E. Gard Award. The award recognizes and celebrates exemplary work at the intersection of the arts and community life, and was presented this morning at Americans for the Arts’ 2019 Annual Convention in Minneapolis.

Americans for the Arts today honored 50 outstanding public arts projects created in 2018 through the Public Art Network Year in Review program, the only national program that specifically recognizes the most compelling public art. Chosen by public art experts, the roster of selected projects was unveiled this morning at Americans for the Arts’ Annual Convention in Minneapolis. This is the 18th year that Americans for the Arts has recognized public art works.

Ambitious new art and cultural projects are opening in Qatar as the country gears up to welcome a flood of visitors for the FIFA World Cup in 2022.The newly opened national museum, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, is a national project which hosts immersive art to provide a space for the past and the future to meet.

Americans for the Arts Artists Committee member Shepard Fairey was one of 31 artists who recently contributed public art to Dr. Maya Angelou Community High School in South Los Angeles, where two dozen new murals turned the drab building into “an explosion of color and story.”

Americans for the Arts announced today the six recipients of the 2019 Americans for the Arts Leadership Awards. Given annually, these awards recognize the achievements of individuals and organizations committed to enriching their communities through the arts.

Through March 11, 2019, Americans for the Arts is accepting nominations of community arts leaders for one of seven 2019 Annual Leadership Awards. These awards recognize the achievements of individuals, organizations, or programs committed to enriching their communities through the arts.

The 2019 Public Art Network Year in Review application is now accepting submissions for public art projects that were completed and open to the public from January 1 to December 31, 2018. Submission deadline is Feb. 27, 2019. 

Americans for the Arts wants our members to elect art professionals from the field to serve on one of four network advisory councils: Arts Education, Emerging Leaders, Private Sector, and Public Art. Voting closes November 16, 2018 at 5:00 pm (ET).

You asked, and we listened: Our online Arts Services Directory has expanded to include searchable, topic-driven sub-directories. The new and improved directories will allow you to quickly find all types of arts organizations throughout the United States, as well as narrow your search to specific interest areas.

Public Art Bootcamp, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s award program, is the subject of the publication Capacity Building for Racial Equity in Public Art, which illustrates how public art administrators can shift the field to be more inclusive and effect change by intentionally serving artists from under-represented and under-invested communities. 

In the age of Instagram, Serena Williams, Allstate Foundation Purple Purse, and female street artists designed interactive murals to shed light on the often overlooked issue of domestic abuse.

Americans for the Arts invites arts professionals from across the country to submit nominations for incoming advisory council members to advise on programs and services in the fields of Arts Education, Emerging Leadership, the Private Sector and Public Art. Nominations close Friday, Oct. 5, 2018.

Americans for the Arts will join NCCP as a Regional Partner to provide input on content; local insight to the Maryland, District of Columbia and Northern Virginia area; marketing support; and funding connections for the upcoming summit Oct. 5-7 in College Park, Maryland. 

On February 20, 2017, a 51-year-old man named Thomas Leeper set off to complete a public art-centric passion project: covering every linear mile of Detroit on bike, while also photographing and geo-tagging every piece of public art or graffiti he encountered along the way. Almost a year and a half later, Leeper is about at the halfway point, having biked through 2,200 of the 4,000 linear miles of the Detroit streets.

The artist-run American nonprofit For Freedoms has announced the launch of “The 50 State Initiative,” a nonpartisan political and artistic campaign that will utilize public art to spark political engagement. Spanning the lead-up to the 2018 midterm elections, the campaign’s focal point is the planned installation of political billboards in all 50 states, plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico.

Americans for the Arts today honored 49 outstanding public arts projects created in 2017 through the Public Art Network Year in Review program, the only national program that specifically recognizes the most compelling public art. Chosen by public art experts, the roster of selected projects was unveiled this morning at Americans for the Arts’ Annual Convention in Denver. This is the 17th year that Americans for the Arts has recognized public art works.