Mission
THE ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART (APA) COLLABORATES WITH ARTISTS AND COMMUNITIES TO MAKE PUBLIC ART ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AND CREATE AN ENDURING LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. DEDICATED TO CREATING A MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS THAT INSPIRES DIVERSE AUDIENCES, THE APA COMMISSIONS, PRESERVES, INTERPRETS AND PROMOTES PUBLIC ART IN PHILADELPHIA. SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT IN 1872 AS THE NATION'S FIRST PRIVATE NON-PROFIT PUBLIC ART ORGANIZATION, THE APA HAS BEEN A MODEL OF PUBLIC ART CREATION, CONSERVATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT THRIVES ON CONTINUITY DISTINGUISHED BY A COMMITMENT TO PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY ARTWORKS. THE APA SUPPORTS THE INTEGRATION OF PUBLIC ART AND URBAN DESIGN THROUGH EXEMPLARY PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, DIGITAL CONTENT, AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT CONNECT PEOPLE WITH PUBLIC ART.