Office of Public Art and Pittsburgh’s Public Art and Civic Design Division Announce New Collaborative Effort

Pittsburgh, PA — The Office of Public Art (OPA) and the City of Pittsburgh’s Public Art and Civic Design (PACD) division have released a new survey for artists in the region, entitled Pittsburgh Public Art Counts. The survey will be used by the organizations to develop a collaboration framework to better support regional artists and communities engaged in public art. To access the survey, please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DDH3Q3B

“The goal of this framework is to make the public art sector more accessible, equitable, and transparent. OPA and PACD see this as an opportunity to leverage our different tools and resources to improve the overall system for creating public art in the region,” said Sallyann Kluz, director of the Office of Public Art. “Historically, there has been some confusion about the different roles of OPA and PACD in public art. Together we are very focused on how we can better collaborate to support the region’s artists and communities working in the public realm.”

The survey is designed to address four key inquiries:

• Who are the artists working in or interested in working in public art in the region?
• How are the region’s artists currently working in public art in the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere?
• What types of public art opportunities will be most beneficial to the region’s artists to expand and support their practices?
• What types of support and resources do the region’s artists need to work in public art?

In addition to the survey, the project team – which includes OPA, PACD, and consulting artist and arts administrator Dominique Chestand – will conduct a series of focus groups and interviews with artists, arts administrators, and other stakeholders. The information gathered will inform recommendations designed to improve public art processes, such as selection processes, artist training, and resources for artists. The intended outcomes of the collaboration include creating better access to PACD and OPA processes and public art projects, and building capacity for the region’s public art sector, including artists, arts administrators, and project managers.

“Not only are we excited to improve the public art processes in Pittsburgh, but this partnership provides us with a huge opportunity to build capacity for the region’s public art sector,” said Sarah Minnaert, Public Art & Civic Design Manager. “Ultimately, our goal is to work with artists, arts administrators and project managers to build equitable pathways for artists to participate in our economy.”

The online survey will be open until Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Survey participants will have the option to register for a raffle for one of four fifty-dollar gift cards to a selection of Pittsburgh-based small businesses. OPA and PACD anticipate sharing the results of Pittsburgh Public Art Counts as part of the final recommendations, which will be released in late spring 2022.

Funding for the project is provided by The Heinz Endowments.

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About the Public Art and Civic Design Division of the City of Pittsburgh

As part of the Department of City Planning, Public Art & Civic Design develops and supports a public art program that uplifts community identity, public history, and evolving culture in Pittsburgh. The division believes the arts are a fundamental component of a healthy community—socially, educationally, and economically. Learn more at https://pittsburghpa.gov/dcp.