Mission
Public art can spark imagination, explore hidden stories, engage the issues of our time, and bring people together. The Association for Public Art collaborates with artists and communities to make public art accessible to all and create an enduring legacy for future generations.
Vision
We envision a future where art is essential to Philadelphia’s culture and daily life: gathering people for dialogue and exchange, connecting them to place, and inciting discovery and the creative spirit in every neighborhood.
Values
Art-Centered: We believe in supporting a wide range of artists to create impactful public art that has clarity of vision while conjuring imagination, discovery, and possibility for those who encounter it. We believe that the freedom to imagine, create, and disseminate diverse cultural expression–free from censorship–is essential for the wellbeing of society.
Rigor: We believe that successful public art emerges from our rigorous process, is authentic to the artist’s vision, and is in meaningful relationship to the space it inhabits. We support artists to meet a high standard of design ability, integrity, and originality of ideas.
Equity: We believe that everyone should have access to meaningful public art, but acknowledge that due to historic and systemic barriers, not everyone does. We use our resources and collaborate with others to expand public art access to all.
Dialogue & Connection: We believe that sites of public art can serve as gathering places for people from different backgrounds and perspectives to interact, engage new ideas, and increase mutual understanding. We commission, present, and interpret public art to create vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming environments that foster community and belonging.
Collaboration: We believe that building intentional relationships with artists and organizations expands our understanding, extends our reach, and creates greater opportunity for all to encounter public art throughout Philadelphia.
Land Acknowledgement
The Association for Public Art (aPA) respectfully acknowledges the ancestral homeland of the Lenape peoples, where outdoor sculptures now sit on the unceded land of Lenapehoking. We recognize that this land was brutally taken by hostile force and fraudulent actions such as the Walking Purchase of 1737, resulting in the genocide and displacement of the Lenape Nations. The aPA honors and expresses our gratitude to present and future Indigenous peoples.
The stories told by sculptures in an inherited collection of public art are often incomplete, inaccurate, and exclusionary. We are committed to creating welcoming and equitable spaces by affirming Indigenous knowledge, culture, and history. The aPA thanks The Lenape Center for their guidance in developing this land acknowledgement.