Iowa City Public Art Program

The Public Art Program was established by the Iowa City City Council in 1997. The Public Art Advisory Committee was also established to oversee the operations of the Public Art program and advise the City Council on potential sites that can be enhanced by the addition of public art and also recommend various pieces of artwork. In 1997, the Public Art Program focused its attention on the downtown area, primarily on the pedestrian mall. Permanent installations include:

The Weatherdance Fountain Myklbust-Sears - 1999
Dorothy Justine Zimmer - 2001
Solar Marker and Balance Christoph Spath - 2001
Jazz Gary Alsum - 2002
Ties that Bind Jane DeDecker - 2001
The Iowa Avenue Literary Walk Gregg Le Fevre - 2001
Untitled mural on the corner of Dubuque and Iowa Avenue Anne Ullerich - 2001
Irving Weber (intersection of Iowa and Dubuque) Steve and Doris Park - 2003
Steel Garde and Nature’s Way (Court Street Transportation Center) David Dalquist - 2005

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The Neighborhood Art program was selected as the second focus of the Public Art program. Four neighborhoods have participated in the program which involves a very intensive neighborhood participation process to determine the type and location of the art as well as working with an artist to produce the final product. The neighborhoods and their art include:

Longfellow – Historic Markers and “Wings’ Return” sculpture – Will Thomson - 2004
Goosetown – Street Markers (Geese) – John Coyne - 2004
Northside – Street Markers (Homes) – John Coyne - 2005
Wetherby Friends & Neighbors – park shelter railing and “Wethervane” – John Coyne - 2007

Washington Hills and Melrose neighborhoods currently have projects in the planning stages.

City parks were selected as the next focus for public art installations. Four installations have occurred:

Archway – Joe Prescher – 2005 - Benton Hill Park
Love is Strange – Seth Goddard - 2005 - Willow Creek Park
Just for Kicks – Don Mitchell – 2006 - Iowa City Kickers Soccer Park
Birds in Flight – Mark LaMair – 2006 - Sycamore Greenway

The most recent project is the installation of artwork at the Waterworks Prairie Park scheduled for completion in summer, 2009.

Two temporary “showcase” display opportunities offer the opportunity for talented Iowa sculptors to display their work for a one year period. The showcase pads are location on the downtown pedestrian mall near the Weatherdance fountain and at the pedestrian bridge located at the Peninsula Park. Every spring, a new sculpture is unveiled at each locations. Scultpures that have been “showcased’ include:

Angel John Coyne – 2004/2005
Politically Purple Jerry Cowger – 2005/2006
A Muse Gene Anderson – 2006/2008
Blade Mark NeuCollins – 2007/2008
Tunnel Vision Aaron Franck – 2008/2009

The Public Art program also sponsors a number of other programs that showcase the physical or literary art talents of our community.

The Poetry in Public program celebrates Iowa City’s rich literary tradition and local writing talent by displaying poems by writers of all ages in city buses, one of the downtown kiosks, and other public facilities from April (National Poetry Month) through the fall. Poems are also displayed in the Robert A. Lee Community Recreation Center, the Scanlon Gymnasium/Mercer Park Aquatic Center, and the Iowa City Public Library.

Program for Recognition of Art in Non-Public Spaces recognizes Iowa City citizens who contribute to the city's visual art environment by displaying artwork on their property.