In the realm of public art, artists must work closely with design professionals, contractors, city officials, and community members. Creating project budgets, complying with contractual requirements, and meeting deadlines are necessary to the process. Below are some resources to help you in your process.
The Public Art Resource Guide
This guide is intended to help “demystify” the public art process and encourage new and emerging artists who aspire to create art in the public realm. It will also guide individual artists and organizations who have ideas for public art and are interested in proposing a public art project to the City of Austin.
City of Austin Insurance Requirements
This document outlines the City of Austin's minimum insurance requirements for City contractors. Also provided is a checklist of requirements that artists can forward to their insurance provider.
Budget Form
Artists must complete a budget and attach a signed receipt of estimates, complete with per unit cost, for all items designated with an asterisk (*). This form provides sample project costs to help artists consider potential expenses in preparation for their project.
City of Austin Vendor Registration
All artists doing business with the City are required to register as a Vendor with the City of Austin through the Purchasing Department's website. If you are currently registered as a vendor with the City, please update your registration profile as needed. Note that registration is not complete until the vendor has submitted a hard copy of his or her W-9 form to Purchasing.
PublicArtist.org
Artists interested in being considered for a public art commission for the City of Austin must apply via PublicArtist.org. All professional artists, with a consistent body of work in any visual art media, are eligible to apply.