The Milwaukee Arts Board is launching its 11th cycle of funding devoted to conserving public art in the City of Milwaukee. The goal of the fund is to preserve that part of the city’s cultural and civic heritage embodied in its public art. The fund supports the conservation of works that are historically, culturally and aesthetically important to the city.
In this round, $10,000 will be available to conserve public art in the city. Grants will be made in increments of $1,000, with no single award greater than $5,000. Qualifying works must be fully accessible to the public. The guidelines and application are available on the Arts Board website. Applications are due July 31, 2016.
The most recent award was $5,000 to restore the Cork Marcheschi aluminum, steel and neon wall sculpture “Dream with the Fishes for Aurora” on the Empire building along the Riverwalk between Wisconsin and Wells.
To alert the Public Art Subcommittee to a piece of public art that requires conservation or to pose questions about the Public Art Conservation Fund application or the process, contact the arts board at artsboard@milwaukee.gov. A comprehensive list of public art in the City of Milwaukee can be found on Wikipedia.