Public Art Oversight Committee
The Public Art Oversight Committee (PAOC) is a committee of seven members who have been appointed by the Mayor of the City of Memphis, the Chairman of the City of Memphis Council, and the UrbanArt Commission (UAC). The PAOC provides general oversight of the City of Memphis percent-for-art program and any issues that arise in conjunction with the program.
UAC is a non-profit organization committed to creating opportunities for artists and neighborhoods to connect and shape spaces through public art. Founded in 1997, UAC worked to establish the percent-for-art program with the City of Memphis, which annually allocates a percentage of the City’s capital improvement funds to public art projects. The ordinance was adopted in 2002, and since then UAC has contracted annually with the City to manage the program. UAC’s management includes recommending projects to pursue, identifying and contracting with artists, and overseeing the ongoing care of the City’s public art collection.
Annually through the percent-for-art program, UAC partners with artists and a variety of community stakeholders including neighborhood groups and municipal authorities to produce art works in a wide range of media. Since its founding, UAC has commissioned over 150 public art installations in neighborhoods throughout Memphis.
Beyond the percent-for-art program, UAC also manages projects for both private developers and businesses to augment the investment being made in our public infrastructure and our artist community. Additionally, UAC provides professional development opportunities for artists in partnership with other arts groups in the city.
* PAOC meetings are open to the public and held every second Wednesday of the month at 1:00 pm via Zoom.
- PAOC