Tampa Public Art - Funding Sources

Public Art Fund

According to the City's ordinances, the Public Art Fund is an account that is set up as a "Development for the Arts" fund to receive funds appropriated for TPA. This includes funds from City appropriations (Chapter 4, City of Tampa Code) and all fees paid to the City by private developers through the Downtown & Channel District Development Ordinances (Section 27-441, City of Tampa Code). The fund shall be used for the selection, commissioning, acquisition, installation, maintenance, administration and insurance of works of art as well as for publicity and education pertaining to Public Art.

Calculation

According to the municipal ordinance (Chapter 4, City of Tampa Code), 1% of the construction cost of a municipal building project or Capital Improvement Project (CIP) as bid, contracted and accepted by the City, not to exceed $200,000 for any single CIP project, may be used for the fund.

Expenditures

The Public Art Committee recommends expenditures from this fund to the Mayor. Final appropriations are approved by City Council. Public Art Fund expenditures may be used for the following:

  • Acquisition of artwork through commission or purchase
  • Direct costs incurred in the relocation or conservation of an artwork owned by the City
  • Site preparation
  • Collection management
  • Program and project planning
  • Artist and artwork selection-related expenses, including proposal honoraria

Public Art Fund expenditures may not be spent for the following:

  • Fees for the project architect, engineer, or any professional not contracted by the artist, or by the conservator, if the project entails conservation
  • Construction costs not associated with the artwork

This breakdown is suggested to guide the Public Art Committee in making funding decisions, recognizing that special needs and budget fluctuations will affect plans. In determining the use of the fund, City capital contributions to the Public Art Fund may be distributed as follows: Up to 15% of total funds for collection management, conservation and maintenance, and education; up to 85% of funds for new acquisition through commission or purchase, a portion of which may be used for community/artist-initiated projects.

Non-City Sources

TPA may apply to other sources for funding of specific projects. Funds received from other non-City sources will be deposited in the Public Art Fund or Friends of Tampa Public Art Foundation (dba Public Art Alliance) a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. It is anticipated that funds from grants or other non-City sources will have restricted uses. Areas of non-City sources of funding to explore for the future are eligible public and private funds including some bonds and Community Block Development Grants where applicable.