Percent for Arts Program

Established in 1999, the Percent for Art Legislation stipulates that for every state building with a construction budget of $2 million dollars or more, one percent will be used for the creation of artwork for the building and its grounds. The purpose of the Percent for Art law is to provide the citizens of Louisiana with an improved public environment by investing our public buildings with works of high quality. This law adds visibility to the cultural heritage of the state and its people. The overall goals of the program are to create a world-class collection of public art for Louisiana citizens and to attract visitors to the state; create economic opportunities for Louisiana public art artists; and train public art artists in Louisiana to develop into a more successfully competitive cultural industry in and out of state.

What is Public Art?

Public art is a mirror that reflects the environment, cultural values, and artistic vitality of a community in which it exists. At its best, public art is more than just art installed in public places. It is a broadly based process of dialogue, involvement, and participation involving all segments of a community. Public Art enhances the quality of life for citizens by encouraging a heightened sense of place, enhancing a community's prestige, and enlivening the visual quality of the built environment. Successful Public Art is site specific and responds to the concept of place-making.

Public art cannot happen without participation and commitment from the community. They are the "public" in public art, and without their contributions, public art programs are impossible.

The "community" for each project may be different. The word refers to those directly impacted by the introduction of public art into an environment. When speaking about a state building, the building users become the community, and therefore play a vital role in the selection process.

In this community-based process of dialogue, the community is empowered to become key to the selection process.

Successful public art projects result with a sense of ownership of the artwork by the community involved.

Public art is much different than art found in a Gallery or Museum for one important reason. In a gallery or museum, the public is invited to view works of art that have been deemed worthy by someone else. With public art, the community is empowered with the opportunity to select the art that they connect with.

The selection panel for any public art project should not have a majority representation of any one segment of the community. Rather, it should reflect as many components of the community as possible.

-Lake Douglas, Public Art Handbook for Louisiana Communities

The Louisiana Percent for Art Program places public artwork in and around state buildings. The Percent for Art law specifies that when construction or renovation of a state building equals or exceeds $2 million, then one percent of the expenditure shall be for works of art by artists and craftsmen for the building and its grounds. The program was established through Act 1280 of the 1999 legislative session and authored by Representative Diane Winston of Covington.

Who manages the program?

The Louisiana Division of the Arts (LDOA), on behalf of the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Cultural Development, provides management for the program. The LDOA works cooperatively with the Office of Facility Planning and Control to identify all state building projects that are subject to the percent for art law.

What is the benefit of connecting communities to public art?

Public art at its best reflects the local environment, cultural values and artistic vitality of the community in which it is placed. It is much more than art installed in public places. It is art that involves "the public." Public art can tell a community's story, reminding residents and visitors of what makes the place different and special. Public art enhances the quality of life for citizens by encouraging a heightened sense of place and enhancing a community's prestige and visual quality.

The very best public art involves the public from the beginning of the project. The Shreveport Millennium Mural is an example. This mural stands as a monument to the people of Shreveport and to Shreveport's rich heritage. The community avidly participated in the production of the mural-from concept to design to painting to installation. In fact, over 2,600 community members actually painted the mural. It is indeed art of, by, and for, the Shreveport community.

What will the percent for art staff members do? What are their jobs?

The percent for art program staff will be charged with the tasks that follow. This list outlines major duties, but is not comprehensive.

• Implement and manage statewide program.
• Develop annual and long-range plans, guidelines and monitoring procedures.
• Monitor program commissions by conducting site visits as works are created and installed.
• Coordinate all program documents and publications.
• Interface with public artists, public officials, public art juries, design professionals, Louisiana Public Art Coalition, public art colleagues, media, state agency representatives, Office of Facility Planning and Control, architects, and other building and arts professionals.
• Provide technical assistance to artists wishing to connect to the program.
• Evaluate budgets and site specifications for each project.
• Manage educational programming for communities and schools.
• Manage review process for the selection of each artwork.
• Manage all contracts with artists.
• Coordinate all review panel/jury logistics; reviews will be hosted throughout the state.
• Coordinate artist slide registry and database.
• Track maintenance needs for all artworks.
• Assist the LDOA business office in the payment of all program expenses.
• Employees will provide all program office support, including computer support, data entry, filing, telephones, public inquiries, mailings, coordination of jury travel and special meals, etc.

Why is outreach/education a part of the budget? What does this mean and why do we need it?

Educating a community about its public art is an important part of the LDOA process. Education pays off in the long-term because it builds a base of community support, understanding and credibility for public art activities. The degree to which a public art project is accepted in a community is directly related to the efforts at educating the public about the project activities. This education raises levels of awareness and appreciation for the artwork.

What are maquettes and renderings? Why are they important?

Project maquettes and renderings are models of the proposed artwork. In a maquette, the scale is often 1” to 1’. Most importantly, project maquettes and renderings show all the relevant elements of a proposed work of art. They enable the Public Art Selection Panels to have a solid, tangible understanding of what the final artwork will look like.

Who selects the artwork?

For each project, a jury will be selected to review all applications. The jury will consist of a representative of the building owner, project architect, Office of Facility Planning and Control representative, professional artists, and community representatives. The team will work together to review all applications and make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Cultural Development. The Assistant Secretary will confirm final approval of the artwork chosen, as mandated in the percent for art legislation.

How Public Artworks are Selected

Recommendations for the artists and artworks commissioned through the Public Art program are made by Art Selection Panels composed of citizens representing agency, building and community members as well as the project architects and arts professionals. The Louisiana Division of the Arts Percent for Art Director facilitates the overall process and serves as a non-voting chair of each Panel. Separate committees are formed for each public art project. Each Panel will work together to review all applications and make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Cultural Development. The Assistant Secretary will confirm final approval of the artwork chosen, as mandated in the percent for art legislation.

Through a series of meetings, the Art Selection Panel evaluates possible styles, materials, locations and themes in order to select artwork appropriate for each building. Most committees solicit artists' proposals which are reviewed for artistic merit as well as suitability to the facility. Through shared discussion and a thorough review of proposals, the Art Selection Panels make final selections regarding both the artists and works of art for the buildings. These competitions may be limited, where specific artists or types of artists are invited to submit proposals, or open, where a broad call for proposals is issued and interested artists propose specific ideas for a public space.

The Louisiana Division of the Arts administrates Louisiana’s Percent for Art Program on behalf of the Secretary of the Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. The LDOA oversees art selection and installation in collaboration with the Division of Administration’s Office of Facility Planning and Control. A critical part of the coordination process is the education of participating state agencies about public art and the participation of building users in the art selection process.

Public Art Programs Nationally

Louisiana is one of 27 states with Percent for Art legislation guiding the inclusion of works of art in new public construction. In addition to statewide programs, there are more than 130 active public art programs which are managed by counties, cities, boroughs, transportation authorities, redevelopment authorities and private non-profit agencies.

Additional Information

Please contact the Louisiana Division of the Arts at 225-342-8180, with specific questions regarding Louisiana’s Percent for Art program, or if you wish you have your name added to the mailing list to receive notification when new projects are announced. New projects also will be announced at www.crt.state.la.us/arts in the Louisiana Division of the Arts online Newsletter, Arts Forum. Louisiana’s Percent for Art program is open to artists nationally.