Artists for, as, with government

1962, federal NASA Art Program launched, with commissioned artists like Norman Rockwell and Laurie Anderson .

1965, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) & National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) established.

1940

Works Progress Administration (WPA)

USA Federal Program

1935 - 1943

Responding to the Great Depression and widespread unemployment, Roosevelt’s New Deal made a major investment in the arts and artists, partly inspired by the Mexican Muralism movement in the 1920s. The WPA funded 10,000+ artists, offering work & exhibition spaces.

1960

1978, Mierle Laderman Ukeles in NYC Dept. of Sanitation is perhaps the 1st artist residency in a non-arts local gov. agency.

1980

Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA)

Participating states throughout USA

1974 - 1982

Responding to a recession and unemployment, Nixon passed CETA which gave city and county gov. funding for workers. San Francisco and many cities funded artists, reaching 10,000+ artists nationwide. The largest artist project, the Cultural Council Foundation in NYC, with 4 others, employed 500 artists, who worked 4 days in community assignments and 1 day in studios a week.

City Artist

St Paul, MN 2005 - Present

City Artist is a collaboration between Public Art Saint Paul and the City. Artists are appointed for multiple years to create art from the city’s life-sustaining systems and advise major city initiatives. Artists have dedicated workspace in the Dept. of Planning & Econ Dev, and can freely collaborate across depts.

2000

Antanas Mockus (Cultural Accupuncture)

Bogotá, Colombia

Terms: 1995 – 1997, 2001 – 2003

As Mayor, Mockus used public art and cultural interventions to exploit cracks in the system and transform city culture, proving that social pressures could be relieved and the impossible dislodged.

Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP)

New York, NY

1997 - Present

Created by arts, design, policy, advocacy collaborators, this non-profit makes policies accessible through graphics, documentaries, publications, and community education programs, to improve civic participation.

Boston Artist In Residence (AIR)

Boston, MA 2015 - Present

Artist and City Partners collaborate on a community-engaged cultural project that advances social justice and explores more vibrant, healing, and caring approaches to City processes, policies, and practices.

2021, Civic Artists In Residence (CAIR) Lab is created by former artists-in-residence, a consultancy supporting collaborations between artists, government, and communities.

2020

2015, New York Public Artist In Residence (PAIR)

2017, Indigenous Artist in Residency Program, City of Calgary Public Art Program

2017, Artist in Residence Program, City of Austin Cultural Arts Division

2017, Municipal/Artist Partnerships Guide is published by A Blade of Grass & Animating Democracy and shares best practices, artfulness, challenges of these partnerships and resulting projects.

2018, LA County Creative Strategist Program

2019, Cultural Strategists-in-Government, City of Oakland Cultural Affairs Division

Creative CityMaking

Minneapolis, MN 2013 - 2021 [Paused]

Community artists (from underrepresented communities) are paired with City staff to create & advocate for inclusivity and racial equity in City practices.