Public art is an expression of our community for the people of our community and for our visitors to view and enjoy. It is a way of communicating some of our hopes, our dreams, our visions and our sense of optimism.

 

The City of Kansas City, Mo., Municipal Art Commission (KCMAC) was established in 1926 by the City Charter and comprises a 13-member board, including the mayor, president of the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners and the chairman of the City Plan Commission, all ex-officio members, and six appointees of the mayor.

 

The Municipal Art Commission oversees the administration of the Kansas City One Percent for Art Program. Through the One Percent for Art Program, the mission of the Municipal Art Commission is to serve as a catalyst for artistic growth and aesthetic excellence in our communities, and in doing so, enhance the vitality of Kansas City and enrich the lives of its citizens.

 

The One Percent for Art Program builds upon an already strong foundation of renowned art in our community. Initiated by an ordinance passed while Congressman Cleaver was on the City Council of Kansas City, Missouri, in 1986, the One Percent for Art Program has seen the installation of the Bartle Hall Sky Stations, Bull Wall at the American Royal, and Three Figures/Fifteen Elements at the Kansas City International Airport, as well as numerous other projects.

 

See if you can find the public art used throughout this site.  And then, next time you see a piece of public art, take a moment to look hard at the piece.

 

Use public art as a learning tool for children. Ask them if they like the work or not, how it makes them feel, what they think the artist was trying to convey with the piece. Take some time, have some fun, and enjoy some of the wonderful pieces of public art in our community.