Public Art & Design: Art in State Buildings Program

Check-out the most recent project! Slides by Norie Sato

Purpose & Services

The Iowa Legislature enacted the Art in State Buildings program in 1979 to ensure that fine arts play an important and integral role in state construction projects. Iowa's legislation (Iowa Code 304A, sections 8-14) requires that one-half of one percent of the total cost of state construction projects be used for the inclusion of fine arts in state building projects. The program provides building designers and planners, artists, state agencies. state employees, arts professionals, and the citizens of Iowa the opportunity to collaborate in planning and implementing public art projects for a specific public site or place for the public and employees to experience.

Program Administration

The Iowa Arts Council administers the Art in State Buildings program. Existing Board of Regents committees administer and implement their own projects.

Advisory Committees

Art in State Buildings Program Advisory Committee—appointed by the Iowa Arts Council. The committee provides advice and counsel to the Iowa Arts Council on the overall operation of the program.

Project Advisory Committees are formed jointly by the Iowa Arts Council and the state agency, board, or commission. The committee adopts a philosophy for the project, plans and conducts public art projects appropriate for the space, building and budget. Committees also determine the method of selecting artists, artwork and designs, and integration of pubic art in the building. All committee recommendations are approved by the state agency. Board of Regents projects use existing committees to plan and implement Art in State Building projects at regent institutions.

Who is Affected by the Legislation?

The Art in State Buildings program applies only to state building construction and remodeling projects, regardless of the method of financing. Contracting officers of state agencies, commissions, departments, and boards are required by Iowa Code 304A, section 9 to contact the Iowa Arts Council at the time of engaging or directing an architect to prepare plans and specifications for a building to determine if the project is governed by Art in State Buildings legislation.

Project Planning

Each project advisory committee determines the method of selecting and reviewing artists, artwork and design proposals for Art in State Building Projects. In accordance with Iowa Code 304A, section 13, the Iowa Arts Council encourages project advisory committees to use a competitive process in the selection process and, whenever possible, give preference to the selection of works produced, created, or otherwise made by living or deceased Iowa artists.

Contact Information

All of the information regarding the AiSB program is on this web site. We do not have additional information or publications regarding the program. The Iowa Arts Council uses the IAC's Public Art Artists Roster as its primary resource for identifying Iowa artists for AiSB projects it manages. (Iowa artists are encouraged to apply to the Public Art Artists Roster to ensure they are considered for public art projects. Artists outside may submit slides and information about public art projects they have completed, but the Council does not maintain a mailing list of artists living outside Iowa.)

Iowa Arts Council:
Bruce Williams, Bruce.Williams@iowa.gov, 515.281.4006

Iowa State University:
Art on Campus Committee, Brunnier Art Museum, 515.294-3342

University of Iowa:
Art on Campus Committee, Museum of Art, 319.335.1727
For projects at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics: Project Art, 319.353.6417

University of Northern Iowa:
Art & Architecture Committee, Art Department, 319.273.2257