Who Keeps Chicago's Public Art Alive: A Guide to the City's Funding and Preservation Programs

Chicago's public art is not maintained by happenstance. Two official systems govern much of it: the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), which runs the Chicago Public Art Program and the citywide collection, and Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which owns and oversees an extensive fine art collection spread across its buildings. If you encounter a mural, sculpture, or painting in the city, these two bodies are the most likely stewards, and each keeps its own records you can consult. Here is how the system works and how to investigate a piece you find. Understanding Chicago's Public Art Landscape Chicago's public art is divided among several managing entities, but the two with formal, published policies are the city government and the school district. DCASE manages the Chicago Public Art Collection, the hundreds of artworks already installed across city buildings and public spaces. The department also decides whether proposed donations of artwork…