press room

For Immediate Release

08/17/2005

Contact:
Beth Olsen
Goodman Media for Americans for the Arts
212.576.2700 ext. 243
bolsen@goodmanmedia.com

Amicus Brief Filed in "Percent for Art" Lawsuit in Seattle

Washington, DC—August 17, 2005—Americans for the Arts, the leading arts advocacy organization in America, today announced that it has filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the City of Seattle’s appeal of a trial court’s decision to invalidate Seattle’s 32-year-old One Percent for Art ordinance as applied to Seattle City Light, the public electric utility. Joining Americans for the Arts in submitting the brief are Artist Trust, a statewide, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting Washington State artists working in all creative disciplines, and the Washington State Arts Alliance, the statewide multidisciplinary arts advocacy and service organization.

Percent for Art programs, which are common in cities, counties, and states throughout the nation, typically require a specified percentage (ranges from .5 to 2 percent) of public capital improvement project costs to be dedicated to public art enhancements as a component of the project. The art is often visual, such as a sculpture or mural in a public space, but in other cases may be incorporated into the entire design execution of the project.

Seattle’s One Percent for Art ordinance is a national model and has been emulated by dozens of cities nationwide. While the lawsuit only addresses its application to Seattle City Light, it is significant, because Seattle is renowned for its public art and because this is the first time, to our knowledge, any Percent for Art ordinance has been challenged in a court anywhere in the nation.  The Washington State Court of Appeals has scheduled oral arguments for this case to take place on September 14, 2005.

“Through its pioneering Percent for Art program, Seattle has become synonymous with public art, which has enhanced the entire city, and by extension the nation,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “Would it really be in the best interest of Seattle for the courts now to prevent City Light from spending a portion of its capital improvement budgets on making its public facilities look better?”

For a copy of the amicus brief or for additional information, please contact Beth Olsen at Goodman Media—212-576-2700 x243 or bolsen@goodmanmedia.com.  You can also access the amicus brief online.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. With offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it has a record of more than 40 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.