UrbanArt Commission

What UrbanArt Commission does

UrbanArt Commission (UAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 in Memphis, Tennessee, that creates, curates, and manages public art across the Greater Memphis region. Its core function is operating as an intermediary between artists, municipal funders, and neighborhoods: UAC administers the City of Memphis's Percent-For-Art Program (since 2002), manages the Memphis International Airport Art Collection (launched 2021 with $1.5 million allocated across 40+ works), runs the Neighborhood Art Initiative, the Movable Collection, and an Artist Workshop Series, and supplies exhibition and fellowship opportunities for local artists. Day-to-day operations rely on a small 1-10 person staff executing artist calls through the Submittable platform, coordinating selection committees, and overseeing installation and community engagement.

UAC's product surface is built around physical public art delivery and community programming rather than technology. Offerings include permanent and site-specific installations (airport, parks, libraries, bus shelters, crosswalks), the annual Canvas for a Cause 6x6 fundraiser, greeting-card and merchandise sales, paid corporate team-building sessions, and free artist professional development. The underlying technology stack is modest: Submittable for submissions, Squarespace for web, and Instagram/email for outreach. No proprietary software, AI, or data assets are disclosed.

UAC's revenue model is diversified across recurring and project-based nonprofit streams. Funding comes from (1) government grants and percent-for-art allocations from the City of Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee Arts Commission, and federal sources (U.S. Department of Treasury SLFRP5534); (2) individual donations and a $25/month or $300/year Public Art Collector membership; (3) corporate sponsorships including the Kroger Community Rewards affiliate program; (4) Tennessee specialty license plate proceeds ($30.75 of a $35 surcharge allocated to arts); (5) merchandise and Canvas for a Cause artwork sales at $25 per canvas; and (6) corporate team-building fees. Customers and partners span government (City of Memphis, Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority, Tennessee Arts Commission), institutional funders (Assisi Foundation, ArtsMemphis), nonprofits (Habitat for Humanity, Mural Arts Philadelphia, Clean Memphis), and individual supporters, with a heavy weighting toward public-sector and institutional relationships.

Name

UrbanArt Commission

Legal name

UrbanArt Commission

Website

https://uacmem.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UrbanArt Commission is a Memphis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that commissions, curates, and manages public art across the Greater Memphis region for municipal, neighborhood, and institutional clients, operating the City percent-for-art program and the Memphis International Airport Art Collection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Art Services

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)

Keywords

• Public art commissions
• Percent-for-art programs
• Artist fellowships
• Community mural programs
• Urban art curation

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: The organization collects tax-deductible donations from individuals and businesses. Public Art Collector membership at $25/month or $300/year provides benefits including event invitations, newsletters, and discounts from local vendors.
2. Merchandise Sales: Sale of 6x6 canvases from Canvas for a Cause fundraiser ($25 each), greeting cards ($25 five-pack), and t-shirts. Artwork sales at annual fundraiser events.
3. Government Grants: Funding from federal sources (U.S. Department of Treasury SLFRP5534), Tennessee Arts Commission, and City of Memphis percent-for-art program since 2002.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support Canvas for a Cause events and other programs. Includes Kroger Community Rewards program where a portion of purchases goes to support UAC.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UrbanArt Commission commissions, curates, and manages public art installations across the Greater Memphis Region. The organization operates a portfolio of public art programs including the Memphis International Airport Art Collection, the Neighborhood Art Initiative, the Canvas for a Cause fundraiser, Artist Workshops, Fellowships, and the Movable Collection. UAC manages the City of Memphis Percent-For-Art Program and connects artists with commission opportunities through structured Calls to Artists.

Product overview

UrbanArt Commission (UAC) is a public art nonprofit that creates, curates, and builds Memphis' public art collection. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected programs centered around its core public art management services. Key offerings include the Memphis International Airport Art Collection (a major permanent installation featuring over 40 works), the annual Canvas for a Cause 6x6 Art Show fundraiser, Neighborhood Art Initiative (a community-led public art program), Artist Workshop Series (professional development), Public Art Fellowship Program, and the Movable Collection (rotating artworks). UAC also sells public art greeting cards and offers team-building art sessions for businesses. All artist applications and opportunities are managed through Submittable, an online submission platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Memphis International Airport Art Collection A major permanent public art collection featuring over forty works of contemporary art and five site-specific installations throughout Memphis International Airport's renovated Concourse B. Managed by UAC since 2021 with $1.5 million allocated for new site-specific public art projects. Targeted at travelers, airport visitors, and the Memphis arts community.
• Canvas for a Cause 6x6 Art Show Fundraiser Annual fundraising event where free 6x6 inch canvases are distributed to community members (including children, seniors, and community groups) who create artwork for a group exhibition and sale, with proceeds supporting local public art projects and artist development programs. The 2025 edition collected 600 canvases.
• Public Art Greeting Cards Greeting card sets featuring public art projects from various Memphis neighborhoods, such as the Orange Mound Cards (Five Pack) sold at $25 per five-pack to support UAC's mission and programs.
• Artist Workshop Series Free professional development workshops and lectures for local artists covering topics from best practices for applying for commissions to financial and business tools for developing a public art career. Open to Memphis artists.
• Neighborhood Art Initiative A neighborhood-led collaborative program for residents, partners, organizers, and artists to shape the creation of public art in their communities and shared spaces. Launched in 2019 with $120,000 in Assisi Foundation funding across four pilot projects, supporting neighborhood engagement and social connections throughout Memphis.
• Public Art Fellowship Program Fellowship program providing opportunities for artists to develop their portfolios and careers in public art, with support from grant funding.
• Group Participation / Team-Building Sessions Team-building art sessions for local Memphis businesses where UAC provides free 6x6 canvases and art supplies for up to 20 employees, with completed canvases donated to the Canvas for a Cause fundraiser.
• Movable Collection A rotating collection of public artworks that can be displayed in various locations throughout Memphis, with annual calls to artists for new additions.
• Artist Calls and RFQ/RFP Management Online platform (via Submittable) managing requests for qualifications and proposals for public art commissions, connecting artists with opportunities throughout Memphis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 public art projects completed throughout Memphis
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025UAC and Habitat for Humanity partnership for Signs of Unity: Uptown Flag Project, designing neighborhood markers in Uptown Memphis.
• OFF THE WALLs ARTSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025UAC partners with OFF THE WALLs ARTS for Vance Ave crosswalk murals celebrating South Memphis neighborhood history and culture.
• Gestalt SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022UAC partners with Gestalt Schools for Hickory Hill bus shelter artistic enhancements, part of neighborhood revitalization efforts.
• Memphis-Shelby County Airport AuthorityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021UAC launched the Memphis International Airport Art Collection in 2021 with the renovation of Concourse B. $1.5 million was allocated to produce new site-specific public art projects throughout the facility.
• Mural Arts PhiladelphiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAC partners with Mural Arts Philadelphia on the District Mural Program and Art + Environment Initiative, facilitating joint public art projects and knowledge sharing.
• City of MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAC has managed the City of Memphis percent-for-art program since 2002, which allocates funds annually to develop public art in connection to capital improvement projects.
• Shelby CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Shelby County and Community Redevelopment Agency on projects like Bearwater Greenline.
• Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with CRA on neighborhood revitalization public art projects including Bearwater Greenline.
• Clean MemphisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAC partners with Clean Memphis and Memphis Medical District Collaborative for Art and Environment Initiative addressing environmental justice through public art.
• Memphis Medical District CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Art and Environment Initiative focusing on environmental justice public art projects in Memphis neighborhoods.
• KrogerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough Kroger Community Rewards Program, shoppers can support UAC using their loyalty card. Portion of purchases allocated to UAC.
• The Time Is Now Douglass Redevelopment CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAC and City of Memphis partner with TTINDRDC for Douglass Park mural project celebrating community pride and Black history.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Creative Time: Creative Time is a New York nonprofit that produces public art projects and commissions artists for site-specific work, frequently partnering with civic institutions. Closely comparable to UAC's mission of commissioning contemporary public art and engaging community audiences.
• Public Art Fund: Public Art Fund is a New York-based nonprofit that commissions and presents temporary and permanent public art installations across a major metro, with a comparable model of curated exhibitions, artist calls, and institutional partnerships. Comparable to UAC in its curatorial and commissioning role for public-facing urban art.
• Forecast Public Art: Forecast Public Art (formerly Public Art St. Paul) is a Minnesota-based nonprofit focused on advancing public art through consulting, publications, and artist support programs. Comparable as a public art nonprofit that supports artist development and field-building rather than direct museum operation.
• Mural Arts Philadelphia: Mural Arts Philadelphia is the largest public art program in the U.S., operating a similar nonprofit model of commissioned murals, artist fellowships, and citywide art initiatives. UAC explicitly partners with Mural Arts on the District Mural Program, underscoring direct comparability in mission and operating model.
• Chicago Public Art Group: Chicago Public Art Group is a nonprofit collective that designs and fabricates murals and public artworks with neighborhood involvement. Shares UAC's community-led mural production model and artist collaboration approach in a different metro.

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Arts Commission: The San Francisco Arts Commission is a city agency that manages public art, cultural grants, and civic art collections. Comparable to UAC's role in Memphis managing the city art collection and percent-for-art allocations, though it is a government body with a broader portfolio.
• Percent for Art NYC (NYC Department of Cultural Affairs): NYC's Percent for Art program is the largest municipal public art allocation program in the U.S., administered by the Department of Cultural Affairs. Comparable to UAC's management of the Memphis Percent-For-Art program, but operated by a government agency rather than an independent nonprofit.

Regional players

• Memphis Brooks Museum of Art: Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is the city's primary art museum. While it operates an indoor collection rather than public art, it is part of the same Memphis cultural ecosystem and shares an overlapping artist and donor community with UAC.
• ArtsMemphis: ArtsMemphis is the local arts funder in Memphis that supports UAC and other community arts programs through grants. Comparable as a Memphis arts ecosystem participant and direct funder of UAC, though it operates as a grantmaker rather than as a public art producer.

Others

• Assisi Foundation: Assisi Foundation of Memphis is a healthcare-focused foundation that provided the initial $120,000 pilot funding for UAC's Neighborhood Art Initiative in 2019. Relevant as a key Memphis philanthropic capital source and ecosystem partner for UAC's community programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/urbanartmemphis
• Xx.com/urbanartmemphis
• Facebookfacebook.com/urbanartcommission
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urbanartmemphis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UrbanArt Commission