In 2021, the Indy Arts Council supported an initiative lead by Rokh Research & Design Studio to conduct the nation’s first comprehensive “Public Art for All” inventory. The research team counted and mapped all artworks in Marion County that are visible from the public right-of-way. They also assessed whether public art is truly accessible to all.
Key findings of the inventory:
- There are large areas of the Marion County without access to public art within one mile of any given location (called a “public art desert”)
- Public art commissions were not distributed equitably to women or femme-identifying, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ artists
- Approximately 42% of existing public art is in desperate need of maintenance
The Public Art for All Grants make funding available to project partners who have the capacity and desire to address these public art equity issues.
