User:Atlantapublicart

The Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program (OCA/PAP) is charged with administering the development and management of | public art projects for Atlanta City Government. OCA/PAP also provides programs and services that support our arts community while improving the quality of life for all citizens and visitors.

History
In 1977, the city of | Atlanta, in stride with many other major metropolitan cities, adopted its first public art ordinance which set aside a percent of capital improvement funds for the development of public art.

Like many other cities however, Atlanta did not keep pace with the changing times and the complexity of implementing a percent for art ordinance. In 1994 the then Bureau of Cultural Affairs (BCA), along with concerned citizens, initiated a planning process for the development of a Public Art Master Plan. Working with it's advisors, the BCA developed an initial plan that guided Atlanta through the | 1996 Olympic Games and the installation of a number of new projects. In 1999, a task force was convened to review and update the Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) and a revised PAMP was adopted by the City in 2001.

In 2008 an amended ordinance was adopted by the City of Atlanta to clarifying the set aside for the percent for art.

Mission
The Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program operates on the premise that art enhances the quality of life for citizens of Atlanta. The program promotes a public initiative of outreach and education while working to preserve the city's cultural heritage through conservation and maintenance of monuments.

The OCA/PAP is committed to creating community through public art and builds upon community support to conserve, preserve and make available public art to citizens and visitors in Atlanta.

Tours
Public Art Audio Tours offer an interpretive audio guide to permanent public artworks in Atlanta's public art collection. Public Art Audio Tours enhance the viewing experience for visitors as they visit public art sites in the City. Within each audio segment, a narration, with guest speakers, sound effects and archival audio, connect the visitor with a sense of the history behind the art. Launched in stages, PAAT is presently located in Atlanta's Central Downtown area. The artwork and landmarks in downtown Atlanta are a symbol of Atlanta's unique character and are a major source of civic pride.

Guided Art Tours are offered to downtown Atlanta residents and visitors, who will experience remarkable artwork by nationally and internationally recognized artists. Guides will lead you through downtown Atlanta corridors and touch on historical sites and monuments that speak to the heart of Atlanta's character. Learn about the | Carnegie Education Pavilion and it's correlation to de-segregation or about our Olympic monuments and how they speak to the freedom and strength of our former Atlanta leaders. This Public Art tour is a great way to learn about Atlanta's place in history through our cultural and artistic lineage. Tour includes 17 Public Artworks and lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Artist Registry
The Public Art Atlanta National Registry  serves as the preferred vendor list for soliciting artists for major and minor public art commissions and direct purchases of artworks for the City of Atlanta and serves as a qualified professional Public Artist list for additional commissioning agencies. The Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program will look to present registry artists' work to project managers and communities for consideration in up coming commissions, invitations and direct purchases. Applications  are considered within the final quarter of each calendar year.

Collection
The collection, featuring historically significant artworks by local, regional and nationally acclaimed artists, is prioritized by city council districts, and represents artworks that are in the care of the city of Atlanta's Public Art Program. The full collection is digitally archived and can be viewed on the site.

Artwork Conservation and Maintenance
The permanence of the Atlanta Public Art Collection is secured by a comprehensive and detailed collections management program dedicated to existing and future artworks. The Office of Cultural Affairs Public Art Program (OCA/PAP) collections management team conducts annual assessments of each artwork in the collection and prioritizes maintenance and conservation efforts.

Adopt an artwork
Adopt-An-Artwork program allows for concerned citizens, neighborhood organizations, companies and corporations to actively participate in the preservation of the public art collection by partnering with the OCA/PAP to provide the necessary resources to maintain the artworks in their neighborhoods and communities.