You know what’s great about public art? It brings art to the people. It’s right there in your face on every corner, front and center, waiting on you to explore it, discuss it, and learn about it. Collectively, it sets a public tone for the City’s support of the arts and the cultural clout.

But who pays for it? How can we get more, and who decides what art can and cannot go up in our City?

Through the City of Greenville’s public art budget, the Arts in Public Places Commission helps approve, fund, implement and create awareness for the artwork we enjoy daily. With the help of the City, business owners, and private fundraising campaigns, this group is responsible for over 70 pieces of art you see around town.

A few examples:

Dr. Pete Hollis Statue by Tom Durham

Rose Crystal Tower by Dale Chihuly

The Stone Mural Project’s newest butterfly themed mural at 227 Stone Ave by Sunny Mullarkey McGowan as well as Furman and Stone Academy students

Who makes up the Commission?

A group of 9 City residents that apply for, and are appointed to their position on the Commission by City Council, and hold their seat for three years. Of course these members must be city residents and must have some sort of background or invested interested in the arts.

How it works:
Just about anyone or business can fill out the application for the placement of public art, if they have a piece of artwork they would like featured in a public space within the city limits, want to commission artwork at their business (think murals), or have funding lined up to create a piece of art. A recent example worth checking out is the new sculpture outside of the Link Apartments West End).

How are applications evaluated?
First, it’s worth noting that the Commission is not the end all decision maker, but they do review all applications based on:

Appropriateness
Community reception
Longevity (can it withstand the test of time)
Maintenance (who owns it and can the city maintain it?)

Once they’ve answered those questions, they give their recommendation to the city manager or the DRB (Design Review Board) if the piece of art will be located within the central business district.

How are the art pieces funded?

It’s a combination of private fundraising campaigns and the public art budget ($75,000 funded through the City’s A-Tax revenue) that the City has to work with. In the past, folks who proposed a piece of art either had the money to back it, or lead fundraising campaigns to make it a reality. The Commission can also recommend the use of City funds to back the project, typically for up to half the total cost or $25,000 (whichever is less). They can also roll over funds from previous years’ budgets (kind of like a savings account) to pay for bigger art initiatives. This is how the new piece of art that will take the place of the Shoeless Joe Jackson statue in the West End (outside of Smoke on the Water) will be funded with a proposed budget of $90,000. You can check out the finalists they’re deciding between here.
Whether you’re taking a stroll down Main or having dinner on an outdoor patio, odds are you can look around and find a piece of public art to discuss. However, if you can’t get out of the house, you can take an art tour from your living room via this online, interactive art tour of Greenville (pretty neat stuff).

There are 70+ pieces of public art in the city of Greenville, so you’ll have plenty to see and explore. Now that you’re more familiar with the process, we hope you’ll take the time to read some of the plaques that adorn these pieces, learn about them, the artists, and appreciate what it took to bring them to life.

To the arts,

– Logan