Hi Janet, and PAN colleagues,

Interesting question!  As with everything public art, local policy, precise definitions and engaged art catalysts are key to the answers. 

Many Public Art programs fund temporary projects.  Creating projects and consulting nationally, I have seen diverse approaches, recently in Dublin (OH) Arts Council; Cities of Inglewood, Santa Monica and West Hollywood (CA).

Are you seeking only those civic programs that leverage municipal construction budgets for temporary projects?  Often, local ordinance is written to give the municipality broad discretion in defining appropriate use of percent for art funds. However, municipalities build projects with funds from a wide range of funding sources: federal, state, county; special utility districts and voter bonds.  These funds (especially federal) may have specific restrictions. So this answer is: it depends. 

Increasingly, cities are passing a private percent for art ordinance to encourage commercial developers to contribute to the community in which they build through on-site art amenities.  Billion dollar projects engage their own (temporary) public art consultants; smaller developments have the option to pay an in-lieu fee to a Public Art Fund.  Municipal use of these funds also arises from local policy and staff; expenditures are often made through a recommendation process led by an Arts Commission.  If it is okay to pay an art consultant for temporary services, why not pay an artist for temporary work?

Other municipalities create temporary public art by contracting with a non-profit group to provide creative services for specified percent for art budgets.  The fiscal and insurance risk is passed on to the non-profit.

As our idea of permanence is changing, as permanent civic construction can be demolished in the name of redevelopment, and art maintenance is observed, permanence in art becomes questionable.

So, where there is a will, there is a way to support artists' temporary percent for art projects.  Opponents may always find a reason not to do it, but we public artists and our familiars can succeed.

Good luck!

Helen Lessick

HelenLessick.net