Art helps define a place, commemorate the past, and celebrate the present. The King County Public Art Program develops art for parks, public places, transit systems, and health centers throughout King County. Funding comes from one percent of county construction budgets. In 1973, King County became the first government in the state of Washington, and one of the first in the nation, to pass a one percent for art ordinance. The current view of public art sees the integration of creative ideas and artworks with their location, often referred to as site specific.
Artists can also create building parts.
When a design calls for seating, guardrails, tree grates, surface treatments or a variety of other alternatives, an artist can be hired to create those parts. The King County Public Art Program makes selecting an artist easy through its Artist-Made Building Parts Project. The catalog is also on the Internet . A slide show featuring the current work of the artists can also be booked through the Public Art office. Around the world, artists are joining teams of design professionals to collaborate on environmental designs.