Going Public

Seattle's stunning natural surroundings have earned it the nickname "The Emerald City". You might just as well call it "The Art City". Seattle was one of the first places in the country to pass a law that sets aside funds to pay for art in public places. The Seattle Arts Commission, now the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture has helped to pioneer the inclusion of artists in public project design teams. In the three decades since Seattle's Art in Public Places program was created, public art has appeared in every corner of the city. King County's public art collection is just as rich. From manhole covers to electrical substations to the downtown Metro Bus Tunnel, public art is everywhere. In our weeklong series, Going Public, Marcie Sillman explores our public heritage and looks ahead to what the future might hold.