Public Art

The Madison Public Art Program encourages artists to explore ideas, foster dialog, and celebrate life. The Commission integrates public art throughout the city, and stewards existing works. We grow the Madison Public Art Program through:

Art in Public Places (AIPP)
BLINK temporary art projects.
Municipal Art Fund
Percent for Art Ordinance

The Commission focuses on fair geographic distribution, diversity of artists, and art forms.

Explore Madison's Public Art Collection

Art in Public Places (AIPP)

Art in Public Places funds permanent public art projects designed to last 10+ years and that cost $15,000 or more. The Commission funds projects with artistic merit that will make a long-term impact.

Learn more about AIPP by exploring Grants & Opportunities and see project updates below.

Austen Brantley Residency & Public Sculpture

We partnered with Madison College to work with Detroit-based sculptor Austen Brantley. He visited Madison in June, 2023. SInce then he has been working on a design for a public art project for Darbo-Worthington. The artist will install the finished work in Spring, 2025.

Austen Brantley is a self-taught figurative sculptor. His work interweaves themes of heritage, identity, and realistic portrayals of Black lives. Learn more about Austen Brantley.

The 2017 Darbo-Worthington-Starkweather Neighborhood Plan was the inspiration for this project. The plan asked the City to create a public art/gateway to build neighborhood pride. Darbo-Worthington is a rich and diverse community on Madison's near east side.

BLINK Temporary Public Art Commissions

BLINK supports temporary public art in Madison. The Commission invites artists to propose works in unsuspecting places in the community. Artists should propose ideas that are modest in cost, yet unique, bold and ambitious. We commission projects for up to $1,500. Projects must be accessible to the public.

Learn more about BLINK by exploring Grants & Opportunities.

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Percent for Arts Program

Common Council approved the Percent for Art ordinance in October of 2017. This created a tool to increase public investment in art. Through the Percent for Art Program 1% of City funds committed to a project budgeted at $5,000,000+ is used for public art. We started the first eligible project in 2020, and are currently working on the following:

Atwood Avenue Reconstruction | Completed in 2024

Designs by Daniella Echeveria on the multi use path encourage users to slow down and care for others.
The sidewalks host poems from Angela Trudell Vasquez (2020-24 Poet Laureate) and Madeleine Bohn (2022-23 Youth Poet Laureate).
Utility boxes at intersections feature works from Paleoelectronics and Rachel Durfee.

Village on Park Parking Structure | Completed in 2025
This colorful design by Michael Ford features images of local community leaders. His design includes a façade wrap and a stairwell pattern.

Madison Public Market | Estimated Completion April 2026

The Madison Arts Commission approved several proposals for public art. You can find recent proposals in legistar.
Only 1/4 of the public art budget is public dollars from the Percent for Art ordinance. The remaining dollars were privately raised by the Friends of Madison Arts Commission & Madison Public Market Foundation.
Completed projects to date include:
- Elizah Leonard by Tom Jones on the north exterior elevation
- Alma & Axolotl by Issis Macias & Rodrigo Carapia on the left south exterior elevation
- And Still, She Blossoms by LaFollette and Middleton High School Students on the right south exterior elevation.

Bartillon Shelter | Estimated Completion Spring 2026

June - Jul 2025: Request for Qualifications for a mosaic artist received 3 eligible applicants.
July 28, 2025: MAC selected Laurel True of True Mosaics Studio to develop a design.
August 4, 2025: The artist hosted a community meeting & also met staff and residents of Porchlight.
August - September, 2025: Design development.
October 14, 2025: MAC approved proposed design Unity, Spirit, Community.
November - April, 2026: Common Council approval, contracting, fabrication.
May - June, 2026: Estimated installation & unveiling.

Imagination Center at Reindahl Park | Estimated Completion September 2026

July - August, 2025: Request for Qualifications for a sculptor received 32 eligible applicants.
September 17, 2025: MAC selected four finalists: Sujin Lim, Cooke-Sasseville, Nate Page and the team of Gabriela Marván, Flor Molina, and Ryan Rothweiler.
October 6, 2025: The finalists attended an in-person orientation and community meeting.
January 30, 2025: Design proposals submitted & survey opens.
- Inkroot by Cooke-Sasseville
- Sueños de Paloma (Dreams of Paloma) by Gabriela Marván, Flor Molina, and Ryan Rothweiler
- The Passage of Being by Nate Page
- Silver Lining: Where Dreams Flow by Sujin Lim
February, 2026: Proposal review & MAC recommendation.
March - August: Design updates (if needed), Common Council review, contracting, fabrication.
Late August - Early September: Installation & Unveiling
Imagination Center Public Art Site Details.

State Street Campus Garage: Estimated Completion 2026-2027

August - September, 2025: Request for Qualifications Public Art - State Street Campus Garage RFQu & Addendum 1 for a light artist received 66 eligible applications.
October 13, 2025: The State Street Campus Garage Ad-Hoc Public Art Committee recommended 4 finalists, Area-C Projects, Matthew Mazzotta, and SudioKCA.
November 14, 2026: The finalists attended an in-person orientation and community meeting.
February 17, 2026: Design proposals due, community survey opens.
5:30 PM, Monday, February 23, 2026: Artists will present their design proposals & answer questions. Register to attend. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the meeting.
12 PM, Monday, March 16, 2026: State Street Campus Garage Ad-Hoc Public Art Committee will review and score proposals, and make a recommendation to the Madison Arts Commission.
April - September 2026: Design updates (if needed), Common Council review, contracting, fabrication.
September 2026 - May 2027: Installation & unveiling.

Far West Operations Facility: 2026-2027

Spring 2025: The City of Madison selected Sketchworks Architecture, LLC for professional architectural and engineering design consulting services. Sketchworks' team included The Milligan Studio for public art services.
August, 2025: The Milligan Studio hosted in person meetings with neighborhood residents and staff of the Streets, Parks and Fleet Divisions who may work at the site. They also hosted a community survey. The feedback and surveys informed their design proposals.
October 15, 2025: The Milligan Studio presented initial concepts to the Madison Arts Commission and received feedback.
December, 2025: Due to budget limits on the overall building and site designs, available space for art was reconfigured. Integrating with the building became challenging as a partially pre-fabricated structure was selected to save costs. A walking path was incorporated into the design and benches were selected as a probably public art element.
February, 2026: The Milligan Studio provided designs for Plough/Sky, abstract bird form benches. The artists propose blue patinated bronze with art glass panels in water tones and internal illumination.

Madison LakeWay Project: 2026-27

2022: The City of Madison Parks Division launched the Lake Monona Waterfront Design Challenge. The competition resulted in a visionary, inclusive, and environmentally focused master plan created by Sasaki. The plan includes proposals for 1.7 miles of shoreline and 17 acres of Madison’s foremost public lakefront.
2025: The first phase of the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan including bicycle, pedestrian, and shoreline improvements along the John Nolen Drive Causeway from North of Olin Park to North Shore Drive begins. Madison LakeWay partners have named the first phase of the project, “The SkyLine.” This section encompasses dynamic opportunities for public art along bicycle and pedestrian trails, fishing piers, and viewpoints where people can take in the breathtaking expanse of Lake Monona and the Madison skyline. John Nolen Drive Reconstruction Project Plans Part A & Part B
2026: Request for Qualifications expected to be published in Feb/Mar 2026.

Metro Transit Maintenance Facility: Estimated Completion TBD

2021: Request for Qualifications received 32 eligible applicants.
2022: MAC recommended Jenie Gao' proposal THE TIME IS OURS. Learn more about her proposal in this Artist Presentation.
2026: The project is on hold until the siding, which is failing structurally, can be replaced. The siding is scheduled to be replaced as part of a larger remodeling construction project which is currently on hold.

Utility Box Program

The Utility Box Program promotes local artists and gives them a platform in the public realm. In 2016 MAC and the Downtown Coordinating Committee approved a pilot to wrap four boxes. The project was well received and there are now more than 100 wrapped boxes throughout the city.

Explore the Utility Box Collection or learn more about the program.

The boxes chosen for this program are either 42 or 62 square feet. 42 sqft boxes are around 36” W x18” D x 48” H. 62 sqft boxes are around 44” W x 26” D x 54” H. See front and back diagrams for additional details.

Neighborhood demand for this program currently exceeds available resources. The Friends of the Madison Arts Commission operates a fundraiser to grow the program.

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