UAP Company
UAP Company (Urban Art Projects), founded in 1993 and headquartered in Brisbane, is a privately held global art fabrication and consultancy serving property developers, governments, architects, museums, and artists through end-to-end curatorial, manufacturing, and preservation services delivered across workshops in Australia, the USA, China, and the Middle East.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersNorthgate, Australia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What UAP Company does
UAP Company (Urban Art Projects) is a privately held, Brisbane-headquartered art fabrication and consultancy founded in 1993 by the Tobin family, operating across Australia, the United States, China, and Saudi Arabia with 251–500 employees. The company delivers an integrated suite of services spanning the full public art lifecycle — curatorial consultancy (artist procurement, public art strategy, masterplanning), manufacturing (welding, robotic milling, lost wax casting, sand casting, AR/VR-integrated fabrication, stone masonry, finishing), and preservation (conservation, restoration, digital preservation). Its client base is horizontal and project-based, spanning property developers, government and public sector bodies, architectural firms, museums and cultural institutions, individual artists, and corporate clients. The 2019 acquisition of New York-based Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry anchored its US footprint and foundry capability, while partnerships with IMCRC, QUT, RMIT, and Griffith University underpin its Industry 4.0 and Public Art 360 initiatives.
The business model is commission-based professional services plus one-time fabrication contracts, with pricing set per project based on scope, materials, artist, and geography. Revenue is generated from consultancy fees, fabrication contracts, conservation and preservation engagements, and artist residency programs; no standardized pricing tiers are publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement from early vision stages through installation, supported by thought-leadership content (annual Best Public Art surveys with Artsy, Journal publication, Biennial 'Be Better' sustainability reports). The company has delivered more than 5,000 public art projects globally, including the Oscar statuette, Lindy Lee's 'Ouroboros' for the National Gallery of Australia, and commissions for Studio Museum in Harlem, Shanghai Library, City of Melbourne, and Mirvac.
Underlying technology combines traditional fine art craftsmanship with advanced manufacturing — robotics, vision systems, CNC milling, 3D modelling, digital sculpting, AR/VR integration — developed through the Industry 4.0 collaboration with IMCRC, QUT, and RMIT. Proprietary tools include the Design Robotics for Mass Customisation framework, the Artwork Ingredient List (a carbon-footprint calculator co-developed with Future Normal), and Public Art 360 (impact measurement research with Griffith University). Sustainability is operationalised through the One Earth initiative, targeting 45% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 and net-zero by 2050, aligned to eight UN SDGs. The company is founder-controlled with no observed external institutional investment or private equity involvement in the source material.
UAP Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UAP Company
- Legal name
- UAP
- Website
- https://uapcompany.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- UAP Company (Urban Art Projects), founded in 1993 and headquartered in Brisbane, is a privately held global art fabrication and consultancy serving property developers, governments, architects, museums, and artists through end-to-end curatorial, manufacturing, and preservation services delivered across workshops in Australia, the USA, China, and the Middle East.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where UAP Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northgate
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices8 records
Markets served
UAP Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Public Art Consultancy Services: UAP provides curatorial services, artist procurement and management, public art strategy development, masterplanning, cost estimating, and artwork briefs for developers, governments, and institutions. This covers the conceptual and planning phases of public art projects.
- Art Fabrication & Manufacturing: End-to-end fabrication of public artworks including digital sculpting, 3D modelling, welding, casting, finishing, patina application, and installation. Manufacturing capabilities span diverse materials including bronze, stainless steel, aluminium, stone, and mixed media.
- Art Preservation & Conservation Services: Expert conservation services including condition reporting, restoration, refabrication, maintenance scheduling, and digital preservation strategies for artworks and collections.
- Artist Residency Programs: Programs providing artists with resources and studio space to explore and extend their practice, fostering collaborative relationships with UAP's design and fabrication teams.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
UAP Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UAP Company provides end-to-end public art services spanning curatorial consultancy, advanced custom fabrication (welding, robotic milling, casting, 3D modelling), and conservation/restoration of existing artworks. Engagements typically begin with curatorial or advisory input and proceed through design engineering, manufacturing in metal, stone, or composite media, and long-term preservation of the installed work.
Product overview
UAP Company (Urban Art Projects) is a global public art fabrication and consultancy company offering an integrated suite of services across the entire artwork lifecycle. The core offerings include Consultancy Services (curatorial advisory, artist procurement, public art strategy, and masterplanning), Manufacturing (fabrication, welding, casting, robotics, and finishing), and Preservation (conservation, restoration, and maintenance). These services are supported by three key initiatives: the Artist Residency Program for creative development, Public Art 360 for impact research, One Earth for sustainability strategy, and Industry 4.0 for advanced manufacturing technology. The company operates workshops in Australia, USA, and China to deliver public art projects from vision through installation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Consultancy Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 85,000+ oyster shells collected for Megan Cope's 'Whispers' installation through community workshops
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use UAP Company
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
UAP Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
UAP Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Polich Tallix Fine Art FoundrycoreUAP acquired New York-based Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry in 2019. Polich Tallix has a legacy dating back to 1968 and is one of America's premiere fine art foundries. The acquisition expanded UAP's US capabilities and combined Polich Tallix's unmatched industry knowledge of traditional manufacturing with UAP's global reach and advanced manufacturing investments. Dick Polich noted that combining skills of craftspeople from both firms boldly expanded capabilities and expertise.
- Dick PolichcoreDick Polich, founder of Polich Tallix, was a renowned art foundryman who led foundries including Tallix, Polich Art Works, and Polich Tallix. His foundries realised works for artists including Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, Jeff Koons, and Richard Serra. UAP acquired Polich Tallix under his leadership to secure the longevity of the foundry and jobs of craftspeople.
- IMCRC (Innovation Manufacturing Centre Research Council)coreJoint collaboration on Industry 4.0 initiative exploring robotics, vision systems and user-centred software interfaces for artwork design and bespoke manufacturing. IMCRC provides research funding and academic partnerships.
- QUT (Queensland University of Technology)coreAcademic partner in Industry 4.0 collaboration engaging art designers, academics, workshop craftspeople, cross reality designers and researchers.
- RMIT UniversitycoreAcademic partner in Industry 4.0 collaboration contributing research expertise in robotics and advanced manufacturing for art fabrication.
- Griffith Business SchoolcoreProfessional development and training facilitated by Griffith Business School Professors Nick Barter and Chris Fleming for UAP's One Earth sustainability initiative. Training started in Australia and cascaded to US and China offices.
- Griffith UniversitycoreCo-authored research article with UAP for The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society on 'The Impacts of Public Art on Cities, Places and People's Lives.' Developed Public Art 360 initiative that quantifies benefits of public art.
- United Nations (SDG alignment)coreOne Earth initiative identified eight UN Sustainable Development Goals and associated projects for UAP's transformation to become sustainable. Goals include 45% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero by 2050.
- Outer SpaceminorPartnership with Outer Space for inaugural emerging artist residency program, providing resources and support for emerging artists to experiment and develop their practice at UAP workshops.
- Art MakersminorNew York-based organisation that works with mid-career and established artists to create significant works for public display. Collaborated with UAP on Agnes Denes' 'The Debate' recreation.
- Future NormalminorCollaboration with Future Normal and Carbon Footprint to launch the Artwork Ingredients List - a tool that calculates an artwork's carbon emissions.
- Taylor & Francis / RoutledgeminorPublisher of the academic journal article 'The Impacts of Public Art on Cities, Places and People's Lives' co-authored by UAP and Griffith University.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UAP Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Arandal Larson Studio: Pacific Northwest foundry and fabrication studio offering full-service sculpture production from digital modelling through casting, comparable to UAP's end-to-end Manufacturing line.
- Pangolin Editions: UK-based foundry and fabrication house producing sculpture for leading contemporary artists, offering a comparable mix of casting, fabrication and digital sculpting services.
- Walla Walla Foundry: One of the largest fine art foundries in the US, producing large-scale bronze and stainless steel sculpture for public and private commissions — overlapping directly with UAP's manufacturing capability.
- Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry: Acquired by UAP in 2019 and now operating as UAP's US foundry brand; the closest direct comparable as a premier fine art foundry serving artists like Jeff Koons, Richard Serra and Louise Bourgeois.
- Modern Art Foundry: Long-established New York fine art foundry specialising in bronze casting and large-scale sculpture fabrication, serving many of the same contemporary artists and institutions as UAP.
Broad incumbents
- Meow Wolf: Large-scale immersive art production company with in-house fabrication capabilities; broader in scope and consumer-facing, but competes for the same highly-financed, large-format art commissions.
Emerging players
- teamLab: Digital art collective building large-scale immersive installations with in-house engineering and fabrication; an emerging competitor for premium developer and cultural-venue commissions where the boundary between art and experience is blurring.
- Fabric Workshop and Museum: Philadelphia-based artist residency and fabrication organisation that collaborates with artists on bespoke material works, overlapping with UAP's Artist Residency and bespoke manufacturing offerings but with a museum/nonprofit structure.
Others
- Public Art Fund: New York nonprofit that commissions and presents public art; operates as a curator/commissioner rather than fabricator, but competes for the same developer and municipal budgets that fund UAP projects.
Regional players
- Fonderia Artistica Battaglia: Historic Milan-based bronze foundry serving Italian and European contemporary artists, comparable in craft and customer profile to UAP but operating almost exclusively in Europe.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
UAP Company social profiles
Digital presenceUAP Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UAP Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
UAP Company subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
UAP Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UAP Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UAP Company
What does UAP Company do?
UAP Company provides end-to-end public art services spanning curatorial consultancy, advanced custom fabrication (welding, robotic milling, casting, 3D modelling), and conservation/restoration of existing artworks. Engagements typically begin with curatorial or advisory input and proceed through design engineering, manufacturing in metal, stone, or composite media, and long-term preservation of the installed work.
Is UAP Company a public or private company?
UAP Company is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was UAP Company founded?
UAP Company was founded in 1993. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is UAP Company based?
UAP Company is headquartered in Northgate, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does UAP Company make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Public Art Consultancy Services are the primary driver. The others are art Fabrication & Manufacturing, art Preservation & Conservation Services and artist Residency Programs.
Who are UAP Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Arandal Larson Studio, Pangolin Editions, Walla Walla Foundry, Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry and Modern Art Foundry. Meow Wolf is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are teamLab and Fabric Workshop and Museum. Public Art Fund is listed as an others. Fonderia Artistica Battaglia is listed as a regional player.
Does UAP Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for UAP Company.