Art in Public Places, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs

One of the first public art programs in the country, Miami-Dade Art in Public Places was established in 1973 with the passage of an ordinance allocating 1.5% of construction cost of new county buildings for the purchase or commission of artworks. Art in Public Places is overseen by a citizens’ Trust appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. The Trust receives recommendations on acquisitions and commissions from the Professional Advisory Committee, an independent group of professionals in the field of art, art history, public art, architecture, landscape architecture and architectural history.

For more than a decade, the focus of the program has been on site-specific, collaborative projects that involve the thinking of artists, landscape architects, historians, engineers, and architects in a team approach. Creative problem solving through innovative collaborations has resulted in projects that validate, define, and expand community identity.