The Association for Public Art (aPA) provides a variety of ways to access public art information and images
Philadelphia has one of the largest collections of public art in the country, and the Association for Public Art (aPA) is just one of the public art assets that holds archival materials about this collection. Please use our website and the resources below to guide your research:
Any additional inquiries can be directed to:
apa@associationforpublicart.org
215-546-7550
Explore public art in Philadelphia and our Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program with our digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Our guide takes you behind the scenes with exclusive multimedia perspectives from artists, curators, and more. Every sculpture has a story. Use the app as you walk around Philadelphia, or from anywhere, to learn more about our amazing collection of public art, it’s history, and new ways to view and think about public art.
Many of the archives of the Association for Public Art (aPA, formerly the Fairmount Park Art Association) are housed at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. The collection spans the time from when our organization was founded in 1872 until 1972, and includes general records of the association and the artworks it acquired and initiated during this time.
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
p: 215-732-6200
hsp.org
You can also access a DIGITAL ARCHIVE of aPA’s Annual Reports and Minute Books from 1872 – 1981 through our website.
Need an image for a print or online publication? Need an image for an exhibition catalogue or for educational purposes? Learn how to request an image.
Over the years, the Association for Public Art has published two seminal books on public art in Philadelphia, as well as catalogues for our groundbreaking projects. Take a look.
Research Requests: Researchers may also submit requests for information about specific artists or artworks in writing to the Association for Public Art. Before submitting a request, we suggest you investigate the resources described above. To submit a research request, please send a detailed email inquiry to apa@associationforpublicart.org about the subject you are researching to the Association for Public Art. Please be sure to include your name, daytime phone number, and e-mail address. Requests will be processed within two to four weeks, and staff will contact you if they need more information. Please see our Image Rights and Reproductions page for information about requesting photos and slides.
These public art lesson plans are designed to accompany the Association for Public Art’s Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program for outdoor sculptures in Philadelphia. The lessons have been developed as a six-part unit, beginning with an introduction to public art, which can be taught over five one-hour class periods.
The unit is organized so that lessons may be paired together, enabling students to visualize historical trends and changes in public art. Lessons can also be used separately. They are aligned with the Pennsylvania standards for 4th and 5th grade students.