News from Americans for the Arts:
To celebrate 20 years of the Public Art Network at Americans for the Arts and its Public Art Network Year in Review, we held a virtual panel discussion on how these two decades of experience can show how to use public art to address our world’s most pressing issues. Panelists included: Vinnie Bagwell, artist and 2020 recipient of the Jorge and Darlene Pérez Prize in Public Art & Civic Design; Patricia Hanna, art director of the Related Group; Kendal Henry, director of New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art Program; and Patricia Walsh, public art and civic design senior program manager for Americans for the Arts. Public art is at the heart of discourse at this moment to communicate public health needs, deliver art experiences in a safe outdoor setting, understand history, express pride in our communities, and more.