The Association for Public Art is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a series of special events this fall: a virtual speaker series that brings together thought-leaders to reflect on the challenges of stewardship, representation, race, gender and power, and walking tours of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway that explore its art, architecture, history and landscape. All events are free with registration, with limited space for in-person tours. We hope you’ll join us!

Re-issued in 2022 to celebrate the Association for Public Art’s 150th Anniversary, you can now purchase t-shirts and a tote bag with Barbara Kruger’s artwork Untitled (When I hear the word culture I take out my checkbook). This 1985 artwork by Kruger was first featured on a t-shirt given to attendees as part of our organization’s Public Art in America ’87 conference held in Philadelphia. The conference was the first national, interdisciplinary forum to examine public art in its broadest context through the perspectives of politics, urban design, cultural anthropology, and the social sciences.

This fall, we’re celebrating the Association for Public Art’s 150th anniversary as the nation’s first private, non-profit organization dedicated to the integration of public art and urban design. We’re marking this milestone year with an exciting guest speaker series and walking tours, plus the launch of a never-before-seen digital archive and a sculpture’s big return.

Commissioned 40 years ago by the Association for Public Art for Fleisher Art Memorial in South Philadelphia, the “Louis Kahn Lecture Room” by Siah Armajani is on its way to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Oldenburg became well known locally when his iconic Clothespin was installed across from Philadelphia’s City Hall in 1976, becoming the talk of the town.

Now in its 40th year, our conservation program is one of the longest continuously operating programs of its kind in the country. Here’s a look at some of the work we did this season, including the deinstallation of Mark di Suvero’s iconic red-orange “Iroquois” sculpture for major restoration.

The Association for Public Art is leading a special public art tour for the Docomomo US National Symposium, taking place in Philadelphia from June 1-4. The tour concludes at one of Philadelphia’s leading craft brewers, Victory Brewing Co. Register today!

In May, the Association for Public Art is temporarily removing Mark di Suvero’s massive Iroquois from its home on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for conservation restoration. Disassembling the sculpture will take a full day of work from a team of professionals, including conservators, welders, and riggers.