Friends of Phoenix Public Art, a private, nonprofit organization created to help support the city of Phoenix public art program, is launching a long-term community campaign, LOVE IT! Phoenix Public Art™, to raise awareness and appreciation of the city’s public art assets.
Within its 516.7 square miles, Phoenix proudly features a nationally- and internationally-recognized Municipal Art Collection. This collection includes more than 1,200 pieces of art displayed in municipal buildings and the Gallery @ City Hall, and nearly 200 site-specific public artworks embedded in neighborhoods and city buildings throughout Phoenix.
In addition, the Public Art Program produces temporary public art experiences that attract thousands of area residents and visitors.
“These spectacular outdoor public art pieces reside in Phoenix neighborhoods, visible for all to see and enjoy,” said Carol Poore, board chairman for Friends of Phoenix Public Art. “During this time of COVID-19 and social distancing, many of us are walking, bicycling, and driving by these iconic outdoor art pieces. We’ve created a fun, long-term campaign to create awareness and celebration of our city’s public art reflecting our city’s beautiful and culturally diverse community.”
The LOVE IT! Phoenix Public Art™ campaign is being kicked off as a digital and social media campaign with live public art events to be hosted when possible.
The LOVE IT! Phoenix Public Art™ logo was created by Julie Wolf, president and owner of Thinking Caps Design. Other participating LOVE IT! community partners to date include The Cause Collection, ACME Prints, and Jane N’ the Jungle.
Poore noted that public art bolsters economic development by generating a more beautiful, interesting, culturally diverse city, and by enhancing civic pride in neighborhoods.
Friends of Phoenix Public Art, formed in 2015, has played an active role in advocating and raising funds for public art maintenance to ensure the city has resources to repair and restore its public art collection. Additionally, the role of Friends is to raise awareness of the public art program and educate the public about its value, Poore said.
Friends of Phoenix Public Art is a nonprofit organization formed in 2015 to educate the public about the city of Phoenix public art program and collection, as well as advocate for, and provide supplemental funding for maintenance and preservation of public art. Friends raises funds for these three, specific purposes. With the city’s public investment for more than 30 years in vibrant public art, Friends is committed to maintaining and maximizing this investment, fulfilling its mission through fundraising and community outreach efforts.
Friends of Phoenix Public Art focuses on four areas of tax-deductible, nonprofit fundraising support dedicated to supplementing the city’s limited maintenance budget and supporting vibrant Phoenix public art programs contributing to quality of life and economic vitality of our city:
- Gallery @ City Hall and Public Art Educational Programs,
- Site-Specific Public Art Maintenance,
- Portable Works Preservation, and
- Innovative Temporary Public Art Installations.
