In May 1997, the Columbia City Council passed legislation to create the Percent for Art Program. The program allows for one percent of the cost of new city construction or renovation projects to be used for site-specific art. Art enriches our daily lives, our surroundings and our everyday experiences.
Art also improves.
The Percent for Art Program enhances the public environment, increases civic pride and promotes economic development. By investing in public art, the City of Columbia is investing in its citizens, its visitors and in its future. The Percent for Art Program brings art into the realm of our every day. It invites art out from the confines of a gallery or museum and integrates it into the everyday experience, where it is accessible to all. The Percent for Art Program and its related slide registry are managed by the City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs.