Association for Public Art

The Association for Public Art (aPA, formerly Fairmount Park Art Association) commissions, preserves, promotes, and interprets public art in Philadelphia. Since its founding in 1872, aPA has worked with artists, communities, and civic leaders to make encounters with art a part of everyday life, creating a Museum Without Walls™ that is free and accessible to residents and visitors. As the nation's first private nonprofit organization dedicated to integrating public art and urban planning, aPA has an unparalleled and pioneering history, characterized by artistic excellence, creative initiative, collaboration, and civic engagement. Working closely with city agencies, aPA remains today a central resource and contributor to Philadelphia's enduring reputation as an important place to view and experience the evolution of public art. Through aPA's free, interactive public programs, website and publications, Philadelphians and visitors are invited to experience civic spaces enlivened by artists and art; to discover the city's vast collection of public art; and to connect to a shared cultural legacy.