Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces 12 Cities as Finalists to Receive Up to $1 Million in Funding for Public Art Projects

NEW YORK, March 5, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced 12 finalist cities in the running to receive up to $1 million each as part of the Public Art Challenge, a new program aimed at supporting temporary public art projects that engage communities, enhance creativity, and enrich the vibrancy of cities. Bloomberg Philanthropies invited mayors of U.S. cities with 30,000 residents or more to submit proposals for innovative temporary public art projects that address a civic issue, and demonstrate close collaboration between artists or arts organizations and city government. More than 230 cities submitted proposals for consideration in the Public Art Challenge, representing 68 million residents across the United States.

Proposals cover a range of areas such as the revitalization of decayed downtown areas, underutilized waterfronts, and vacant neighborhoods. They also address other social themes including civil rights, neighborhood safety, environmental sustainability, and promoting city identity.

"At a time when imaginative ideas are redefining every industry, cities increasingly realize how important it is to embrace and encourage creativity," said Michael R. Bloomberg. "There was a great response to the challenge we issued, and we hope these projects spur new excitement about the ways public art can strengthen neighborhoods, inspire residents and fuel local economies."

The following 12 finalists have been invited to submit a full proposal:

Submissions were evaluated on their potential viability as dynamic public art projects, capacity to establish or strengthen public-private partnerships, inclusion of strong audience engagement strategies, and commitment to evaluating outcomes and impact on the host city.

Cities of all sizes applied: nearly 50% of the 237 submissions were from cities with populations between 30,000 and 100,000, 38% had populations between 100,000 and 500,000, and 13% of the applicant cities had over 500,000 residents. A variety of artistic disciplines were represented amongst the applications: 61% of the proposed public art projects involved visual art, 19% combined multiple disciplines, 17% featured digital media, and 3% were performing art projects.

The Public Art Challenge grant will cover development, execution and project related expenditures but will not fund 100% of project costs.

The grant is intended to provide catalytic funds as part of a strong, committed consortium of supporters. At least three winning cities will be selected in May to execute their projects over a maximum of 24 months.

More information about the Public Art Challenge, including links to images and maps can be found on http://www.bloomberg.org/program/arts/public-art-challenge/.

Bloomberg Philanthropies has a proven track record of supporting creative and innovative public art that enlivens urban landscapes. In 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies supported artist Tobias Rehberger's Dazzle Ship in London; We the People, Dahn Vo's multi-site exhibition in New York City, organized by Public Art Fund; and Doug and Mike Starn's Big Bambu installation in Jerusalem.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies' mission is to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Public Health, Environment, Education, Government Innovation and the Arts. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg's charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $462 million. For more information on the philanthropy, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us onFacebook, Instagram and Twitter @BloombergDotOrg.

Contact: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Meghan Womack, +212-205-0176, meghan@bloomberg.org

SOURCE Bloomberg Philanthropies