Since 1977, Public Art Fund has supported the voices of leading artists to make art free and accessible for everyone— with support from donors like you.
As a 501(c)(3) organization, we rely on contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support our public exhibitions and programs.
Our Impact
Public Art Fund has reimagined what public art can be, where public art can be, and how it can be encountered, experienced, and shared. We believe that artists make a powerful impact when their work is free, accessible, and engaged with the public realm.
Our History
Public Art Fund was founded in 1977 by Doris C. Freedman, a pioneer and champion of innovative public art. She believed that brilliant contemporary artists could transform not just the physical spaces of a city, but the lives of all those who encounter powerful works of art. Learn more about our beginnings.
Living Land Acknowledgement
Public Art Fund offers gratitude to the Lenape, original people of the land on which we are now based. We acknowledge the genocide and forced removal of the Lenape nations from Lenapehoking, their homeland. We honor the many First Nations peoples who continue to live and work in this region today.
The Lenape people today are members of the following nations: Delaware Nation, Anadarko, Oklahoma; Delaware Tribe of Indians, Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Mohican Nation Stockbridge–Munsee Band , Bowler, Wisconsin; Munsee-Delaware Nation, Canadian reserve near St. Thomas, Ontario; Moravian of the Thames First Nation, Canadian reserve near Chatham-Kent. We thank The Lenape Center of New York for their guidance in developing this living land acknowledgement.
Our Commitment
As the leading presenter of public art, we have an important role to play in creating a more equitable and representative cultural ecosystem. Public art reaches people in spaces that can be experienced by all—equally and free of charge. Our purpose, the audiences we serve, and our support for artists have always been at the heart of our work. We believe that art has the power to activate conversation, to open hearts and minds, and to help shape the future.
Our exhibition program reflects our belief that presenting work by artists of diverse backgrounds that represents a multiplicity of perspectives is essential, and our future programs will continue to build upon this foundation. We also believe that as experts in the field of public art, it is our responsibility to train the next generation of professionals in our field. These are long standing institutional goals, and we acknowledge that there is still much work to do.