STANDING UP A CITY ARTS PROGRAM

Public Arts Commission The City of Charlottesville has a long history of investing in public art, which is manifest across the City in art pieces displayed in public spaces. In the past, the City has entrusted management of this public art collection to outside entities. Following the dissolution of the last of these entities several years ago, there has been no management of the collection. City Council has indicated that public art remains a priority for the City and have decided to make control and management of the public art collection/program a City responsibility, overseen by a Public Art Commission. In the future, this commission would oversee the creation and implementation of a public art master plan. Arts Council Charlottesville, Albemarle, and the surrounding counties have a robust arts and culture sector but lack a centralized, coordinated structure to support its creative communities. From 2025-2026, the Charlottesville community participated in a collaborative planning process rooted in the belief that sustainable arts infrastructure should be shaped by the community it serves, ensuring that Charlottesville's artists and arts and culture sector have the resources needed to thrive. The City supports this effort to develop an independent arts council and anticipates partnering with this art council in support of strengthening the arts and culture sector.