Public Art

The Mayor's Committee on Public Art (MCOPA) defines public art in the following way . . . Installations of art - temporary or permanent - in the public realm of Louisville Metro, including building exteriors and outdoor public areas.
 
The MCOPA Vision

The MCOPA Mission

The Mayor’s Committee on Public Art provides the leadership, support, and resources to enrich the public realm by promoting the value of public art, creating funding for public art and new projects, and preserving existing art in public venues.

Public Art is essential for Louisville because it has the ability to . . .

· Demonstrate that this city values    
  community and creativity

· Stimulate economic growth and investment

· Encourage public education by improving 
  cultural literacy

· Create city identity

· Bridge social and cultural barriers

· Provide city and community cohesion

· Create new or renewed public spaces in the 
  urban environment

· Enhance many of the current city projects

· Provide opportunities for talented regional, 
  national, and international artists to make 
  public artworks for the City of Louisville

· Make Louisville a tourist destination for 
  seeing public art

· Leave a legacy

Our History

In 1990 a panel of citizens advocated the creation of a Public Art Commission as a policy and design review panel for art in the public realm.  Mayor Jerry E. Abramson re-established this Public Art Commission in 2005.  The Commission is now called the Mayor’s Committee on Public Art, or MCOPA for short. 

The function of MCOPA has been three-fold: to recommend and develop new public art projects (temporary and permanent), to advise the Mayor on public art policy and planning, and to oversee the maintenance and restoration of the current public art collection.

Committee members are appointed by the Mayor. The committee represents a wide range of public arts interests, from economic development to arts education.  The committee currently consists of philanthropists, business owners, curators, teachers, artists, city officials, urban planners, and developers. 

MCOPA subcommittees work on public art policy & planning, marketing & fundraising, collection management, and new projects.

Funding

MCOPA continues to research and advocate for a continuous revenue stream either through capitol funding, private donations, a percent-for-art program, or a combination of the three.

Maintenance funds for Louisville Metro's permanent art collection are housed within the Metro Parks budget.



Please click this link to see what we have been working on:

Accomplishments