Since 2005, the influential City Artist program has redefined the role of the artist working within city government. Integrated far upstream in the daily and long-term workings of the city, artists are creating a new artistic, social and civic practice through an innovative public-private partnership between Public Art Saint Paul and the City of Saint Paul. The central pursuit is to create art out of the life-sustaining systems of the city. Artists advise on major city initiatives and lead their own artistic and curatorial projects and have dedicated workspace within the Department of Planning and Economic Development so they can freely collaborate across city agencies.

The partnership between the City of Saint Paul and Public Art Saint Paul is unique, highly effective and seen nationally as a model. Saint Paul is unique in that City Artists work within the walls of City Hall and ensure that art is considered as an integral part of nearly every civic discipline from early conceptualization of the City’s urban future through planning studies, capital project design to on-going street construction and sidewalk replacement, and the programming of public places.

Here is a visual showing the past 10 years of the City Artist program
(click to expand the image)

City Artist
Aaron Dysart

Alum City Artists

Amanda Lovelee

Marcus Young

Sarah West

Partners
Public Art Saint Paul
City of Saint Paul

Funders
The McKnight Foundation
The Saint Paul Foundation
R. Bigelow Foundation
Mardag Foundation
Knight Foundation
The John and Ruth Huss Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation
City of Saint Paul Public Art Ordinance