Public Art

The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) encourages artists to explore new ideas, foster dialog, and celebrate civic life. MAC integrates public art in Madison's city-building activities, and stewards historic works. MAC grows the Madison Public Art Program through the Percent for Art Ordinance, Municipal Art Fund, Art in Public Places (AIPP) and BLINK temporary art projects. MAC focuses commissions on equitable geographic distribution, diversity of artists, and art forms

Explore Madison's Public Art Collection

 

The Madison Arts Commission (MAC) partnered with Madison College to bring Detroit-based figurative sculptor Austen Brantley to Madison in June, 2023 andhave asked him to develop a design for a public art project for the community.

Austen Brantley is a self-taught figurative sculptor who is recognized for his work that interweaves the themes of heritage, identity, and realistic portrayals of Black lives. Learn more about Austen Brantley & see his work here.

This project was suggested in the 2017 Darbo-Worthington-Starkweather Neighborhood Plan, which called for the City to consider making a public art/gateway feature to the DWS neighborhood, as a means of building up neighborhood pride and empowerment. Darbo is a culturally rich and diverse community neighborhood that includes on Madison's near east side. 

 

Darbo-Worthington Neighborhood Public Art Survey
MAC would like your feedback on the three proposed designs to guide their decision on the final work.

Complete this survey before 1:00 pm on May 6, 2024.

AIPP funds permanent public art projects that are designed to last 10 or more years and cost $15,000 or more (including MAC funds). MAC leverages community funding and attention for major public art projects that have artistic merit and will make a positive, long-term impact on Madison.

Learn more about AIPP by exploring Grants & Opportunities.


 

BLINK commissions support experimental, ad-hoc, temporary works of public art that sprout up throughout the community and vanish, leaving residents and visitors eager to see what is next. Madison neighborhoods and urban areas are open canvases. The possibilities for creations in open spaces, construction sites, and public parks provide a glimpse of how the world looks through an artist's eyes.

Learn more about BLINK by exploring Grants & Opportunities.


 

The Percent for Art ordinance, passed in October of 2017, officially created a mechanism to increase the rate of our investment in public art. Through the Percent for Art Program one percent of the city funds committed to any capital project exceeding $5,000,000 will be designated for public art. In 2020 Madison’s Percent for Art ordinance initiated its first project with the Metro Transit Maintenance Facility project on East Washington Avenue. Learn more about this and other public art projects below.
 

MAC recommended artist Jenie Gao and her Proposal THE TIME IS OURS as their first choice for the Metro Transit Public Art.  Learn more about her proposal in this Artist Presentation.  Additional updates will be shared here as they become available. 

 

The Madison Public Market Foundation Board (MPMFB) & MAC reviewed and approved the first set of proposals for public art in January, 2024. Many of the proposed projects are in early stage of development and may change, but the proposal can be seen here. Staff anticipate returning to MPMFB & MAC with additional proposals in the coming weeks.

The Madison Arts Commission intends for the Utility Box Program to promote local artists by giving them exposure in the public realm. In 2016 MAC and the Downtown Coordinating Committee authorized a pilot to wrap four City owned utility boxes with artwork. Due to the positive public reaction, MAC continued the program. Currently, there are more than 100 wrapped boxes throughout the city. 

The Utility boxes chosen for this program require between approximately 42-62 square feet of coverage depending upon box size and configuration. 42 sqft boxes are approximately 36” W x18” D x 48” H. 62 sqft boxes are approximately 44” W x 26” D x 54” H. Sketch-up files of the 42 sqft box (pictured here and here) are available to artists if they contact madisonarts@cityofmadison.com.

Neighborhood demand for this program currently exceeds available resources. To help grow this popular program citywide, Friends of Madison Arts Commission has started a fundraising campaign. Wrapping of 14 more utility boxes has been funded so far.

Explore the Utility Box Collection or learn more about the program. 

Selections from the Public Art Program