Arlington Public Art Master Plan
           public art master plan
 

Public art opportunities offered by organizations not affiliated with Arlington county will be posted here periodically as a service to artists. If you have a call to artists you wish to post, please email publicart@arlingtonva.us with the text of the information and a link to your website.  
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Background Information

Arlington County was originally part of the ten-mile square parcel of land surveyed in 1791 to be the Nation's Capital. Then known as Alexandria County of the District of Columbia, it included what is now Arlington County plus part of the neighboring City of Alexandria. Congress returned that portion of land to the Commonwealth of Virginia following a referendum among its citizens. The City of Alexandria and Arlington separated their jurisdictions in 1870, and in 1920 the name Arlington County was adopted.
Arlington, the second smallest county in the U.S., encompasses 25.9 square miles with an estimated residential population of 208,000 (in 2008) and an estimated daytime workforce population of 300,000 (in 2008). There are no incorporated cities or towns with Arlington.  It is five miles from Washington, D.C.

·         Arlington's Public Art Program is administered by the Community and Public Art Section of the Cultural Affairs Division, Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources

·         Arlington's County Board Policy was approved in September, 2000.

·         A Public Art Master Plan was approved in December, 2004. Program guidelines for county-initiated projects were approved in 2005 and guidelines for developer and community-initiated projects are currently in development.

·         Arlington has a long history of developer-initiated public art projects beginning in 1979 with the commission of Nancy Holt's Dark Star Park.

·         Arlington is currently home to 56 permanent public art projects, with many more underway.

·         Arlington has hosted over 40 temporary public art projects since 1987.

·         Arlington's Public Art Program typically has around 35 developer-initiated projects underway at any given time. Currently (December, 2008), just under $3 million is designated for upcoming public art projects through developer contributions.

·         Many of Arlington's public art projects focus on the following areas due to the high density and visibility of these corridors:

1.     Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor, particularly those that support larger urban design goals;

2.     Four Mile Run Corridor, both in parkland and areas such as Shirlington, the Trades Center campus and Four Mile Run/Nauck area;

3.     Columbia Pike Corridor, to unify the streetscape of this major road and integrate into transit;

4.     Jefferson Davis Corridor, development of various centers including Four Mile Run restoration, Potomac Yards, Crystal City and Pentagon City.

Public Art Policy

        Adopted by the Arlington County Board, September, 2000.

To view and print the Public Art Policy online, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you are unable to download, view and print the document, please contact Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division Public Art Administrator, at publicart@arlingtonva.us to request one by mail.
If you would like to add your name to the visual arts opportunities mail list, please email Angela Adams at the above email or send a postcard to:
Angela Adams
Arlington County Cultural Affairs Division
2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 414
Arlington, VA. 22201

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