The Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art

Since 1982, New York City's Percent for Art law has required that one percent of the budget for eligible City-funded construction projects be spent on public artwork. Managed by the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Percent for Art program has commissioned hundreds of site-specific projects in variety of media—painting, new technologies, lighting, mosaic, glass, textiles, sculpture, and works that are integrated into infrastructure and architecture—by artists whose sensibilities reflect the diversity of New York City. Percent for Art seeks to commission works from the broadest range of artists from all backgrounds.

The Percent for Art Program offers City agencies the opportunity to acquire, commission, or restore works of art specifically for City-owned buildings throughout the five boroughs. By bringing artists into the design process, the City's civic and community buildings are enriched.

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