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Getting Public Art Grants

© Cecilia H. Lee

Whether you live in New York or the remote wilderness of Alaska, there's probably a public art program in your local area. At the very least, your state has a public art program. Opportunities aren't limited to your locality; however, most requests for qualifications are open to artists nationwide, sometimes even internationally.

How to Get Started

The first thing you'll have to do is research. Look on the web, check your libraries, contact the your city. Find out what opportunities are available in your area first, then expand your search to include a larger scope. Sign up for as many public art lists as possible. For instance, the City of Phoenix has a public art newsletter they publish monthly with calls for artists not only in Arizona but throughout the country.

Another thing you can do is to get your portfolio into slide registries. Most large cities have such registries for arts administrators, curators, etc., to see what artists are working locally. Even if you don't have an interest in doing public art, this is a good way to get your work seen by some of the right people.

Apply and Keep Applying

A large percentage of the RFPs/RFQs (requests for proposals/requests for qualifications) out there, you're probably either not interested in it or you don't qualify for it. But that still leaves a percentage for which you ARE qualified and interested, and it should be both. Even if your work and background meet all the criteria, if you're not interested in the project, don't bother applying. It's a lot of unnecessary work for you and the selection panel if you aren't.

Don't be discouraged by the first set of rejections. If you're serious about it, you must keep at it until you get the grant. Your first one will probably be the hardest one to get. Why? Because most public art programs want artists who have public art experience! Most, but not all. If your work is good, that will show through.

Follow the Rules

Most RFPs/RFQs make it easier for you by providing a checklist of things you will need to provide in your package. Follow the directions. If the guidelines ask you to label your slides a certain way, do it. If they want 10 copies of something, send it. The competition is very fierce with public art. There is no reason to give the panel an excuse to reject your application because of a minor detail. Remember, this is a professional package. The arts administrators are spending taxpayers' dollars, so they want to select the best artist for the commission.

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