Public Art Map

Download your guide to
over 160 public artworks in downtown Seattle.

Art & Seek

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waymarking.com

Seattle was one of the first cities in the United States to adopt a percent-for-art ordinance in 1973. For more than 30 years, our public art program has been considered exemplary. The program integrates artworks and the ideas of artists into a variety of public settings, advancing Seattle's reputation as a cultural center for innovation and creativity.

The program specifies that 1% of eligible city capital improvement project funds be set aside for the commission, purchase and installation of artworks in a variety of settings. By providing opportunities for individuals to encounter art in parks, libraries, community centers, on roadways, bridges and other public venues, we simultaneously enrich citizens' daily lives and give voice to artists.

The collection includes more than 350 permanently sited and integrated works and 2,600 portable works. Artworks are commissioned through a public process. Panels comprised of professional visual artists along with community and city representatives evaluate the artist applicants. The city stewards and maintains its artworks through an ongoing program of coordinated conservation activities, which include inspections, major restorative work and routine maintenance.