Art in Public Places

Outdoor public art installation featuring a large, pale green sculptural canopy with flowing, organic forms and cutout openings. The structure is supported by multiple curved legs and casts patterned shadows on the ground below. People walk beneath the sculpture along a landscaped pathway, with modern buildings and trees visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Meander Wing by Marc Fornes. 2021.

Art in Public Places (AIPP) is the City of Austin’s public art program. Administered through Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (AACME), the AIPP program commissions visual artists to create site-specific artworks that reflect the history, culture, and values of Austin’s communities.

Established by the Austin City Council in 1985, the City of Austin became the first municipality in Texas to adopt a percent for art ordinance. By ordinance, dedicating 2% of eligible capital improvement project budgets to commission artists and acquire artwork for City-owned property and facilities.

In addition to acquiring and stewarding artworks within the permanent collection, the AIPP program manages the People’s Gallery, Changing Exhibitions at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and our temporary public art program, TEMPO.

Six people gathered around a long white outdoor table with red benches in a park at sunset, enjoying food and drinks beneath whimsical tree-like lamp posts, with bicycles nearby and a serene landscape of grass, paths, and young trees in the background.

Sandy Beach Park, Open Room by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt. 2010.

Explore the Collection

For more than four decades, the Art in Public Places (AIPP) program has helped shape Austin’s cultural landscape with unique works of art that have become cornerstones of the city’s identity. Today, the City’s collection includes more than 400 artworks, reflecting an investment of over $22 million in public art as part of Austin’s cultural assets.

The City of Austin’s public art collection can be found in a variety of civic spaces, including the airport, convention center, libraries, parks, police stations, recreation centers, and streetscapes, bringing art into the everyday life of the city for all residents and visitors to enjoy.

Plan your next visit and discover artworks near you through the Public Art Archive. Want to learn more? Continue exploring the collection by watching videos on YouTube.

Art in Public Places (AIPP) Panel – Arts Commission Advisory Committee

The Art in Public Places (AIPP) Panel serves as the City’s public art advisory committee. The AIPP Panel is a seven-member standing committee of volunteer visual arts professionals, appointed by the Arts Commission for the purpose of advising the Commission on matters relating to the implementation of the Art in Public Places Ordinance.