Public Art Saint Paul

What Public Art Saint Paul does

Public Art Saint Paul (PASP) is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1987 and headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, that designs, manages, and executes public art programs for the City of Saint Paul and surrounding communities. Its core offerings are program-based rather than product-based: the City Artist Program (since 2005) embeds professional artists within municipal departments (Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Planning, Libraries, City Hall) to shape public spaces and city systems; Sidewalk Poetry (since 2008) stamps resident-written poems into concrete during the City's annual sidewalk maintenance cycle, producing 1,200+ installations citywide; eARTh Lab runs free youth environmental art workshops at Western Sculpture Park; and the Wakpá Triennial Art Festival (inaugurated 2023, with a 2026 edition planned) is a multi-site public art festival featuring Minnesota-based and BIPOC artists. Underlying "technology" is primarily physical and process-based: custom concrete stamping methodology, sculpture fabrication, and light augmented-reality overlays for select commissions such as Highland Bridge's Dakota-history installations.

Name

Public Art Saint Paul

Legal name

Public Art Saint Paul

Website

https://publicartstpaul.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Public Art Saint Paul is a 501(c)-style nonprofit founded in 1987 that embeds artists in Saint Paul municipal government and runs public art programs including Sidewalk Poetry, the City Artist Program, eARTh Lab youth workshops, and the Wakpá Triennial Art Festival, serving city residents, departments, and partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Art Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Public art programs
• Community art engagement
• Artist residency programs
• Municipal art consulting
• Environmental art education

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations from supporters, tax-deductible gifts from the public to support public art programs and initiatives.
2. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including McKnight Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, The Saint Paul Foundation, F.R. Bigelow Foundation, HRK Foundation, and Hardenbergh Foundation.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including Ecolab, Securian, and Cultural STAR provide funding and support for programs.
4. ARTopia Annual Fundraiser: Annual gala event serving as the organization's primary fundraiser, featuring auctions and fundraising activities.
5. Consulting Services: Public art consulting services provided to nonprofits, municipalities, developers, and interested parties seeking to implement sidewalk stamping or public art programs, with fees on a sliding scale.
6. Public Art Ordinance: 1% allocation from City of Saint Paul capital improvement bonds for public art projects, managed by Public Art Saint Paul.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Public Art Saint Paul is a nonprofit organization that creates and manages public art programs across Saint Paul, including the Sidewalk Poetry program (stamping resident poetry into city sidewalks), the City Artist Program (placing artists within City of Saint Paul departments), free youth environmental art workshops at Western Sculpture Park (eARTh Lab), and the Wakpá Triennial Art Festival. It also commissions public art for parks and developments and provides consulting services to other municipalities and organizations seeking to implement public art programs.

Product overview

Public Art Saint Paul operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of public art programs rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include the Sidewalk Poetry program (stamping resident-written poems into city sidewalks since 2008), the City Artist Program (embedding artists in municipal government), eARTh Lab (youth environmental art workshops at Western Sculpture Park), and the Wakpá Triennial Art Festival (multi-site art festival). The organization also manages public art commissions including Highland Bridge, Wheelock Parkway, and Minnesota Rocks! stone carving symposium. Additional programs include community engagement initiatives like CREATE: The Community Meal, Art of Food in Frogtown and Rondo, and Pop Up Meeting. Consulting services are offered to other organizations implementing public art projects. The portfolio is complemented by the Distinguished Public Artists annual award event and various public art installations throughout Saint Paul parks and neighborhoods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PASPider: Mobile art lab program for youth at Western Sculpture Park, later renamed eARTh Lab.

Products and services

• Sidewalk Poetry Systems-based public art project that transforms city sidewalks into spaces for poetry by stamping poems written by Saint Paul residents into concrete during annual sidewalk repairs. Since 2008, over 1,200 poems have been installed citywide, with every resident within a 10-minute walk of a Sidewalk Poem.
• City Artist Program Program embedding professional artists within City of Saint Paul municipal government to work across departments on parks, planning, public works, libraries, and public space programming. Artists advise on major city initiatives and lead artistic and curatorial projects with dedicated workspace in City Hall.
• eARTh Lab Free youth arts education program featuring environmental art-making workshops held at Western Sculpture Park during summer months. Engages teaching artists, education interns, and volunteers in earth-friendly artmaking activities for youth and families.
• Wakpá Triennial Art Festival Multi-site art festival featuring public space projects and gallery-based installations showcasing Minnesota-based artists, with emphasis on artists of color in the Twin Cities. The name Wakpá means 'river' in the Dakota language. The first edition was recognized as a finalist for Top Ten Best New Festivals by USA Today Reader's Choice Awards.
• Western Sculpture Park Sculpture exhibition park located west of the Minnesota State Capitol in the Rondo neighborhood, featuring rotating collection of sculptures and annual community programs. Recognized by the National Recreation and Parks Association Congress in 2011 as a national model of public/private partnership in art education and community building.
• Highland Bridge Public Art Public art integration project for 122-acre mixed-use urban development on former Ford Motor Company site. Artists Marlena Myles and Rory Wakemup commissioned for Uŋčí Makha Park with sculpture, mural, and augmented reality elements honoring Dakota culture and history. Commission valued at $146,000-$150,000 from City Public Art Ordinance.
• Wheelock Parkway Public Art Public art installations along Wheelock Parkway as part of the 27-mile Grand Round bicycle and pedestrian trail. Nine artists selected to create works with theme of birds and migration.
• Minnesota Rocks! International Stone Carving Symposium producing permanent stone sculptures distributed throughout Saint Paul parks including Mounds View Park, Como Park, and Mississippi River Boulevard.
• Urban Flower Field Award-winning project combining art and science to transform abandoned lots into vibrant public spaces. Located at Pedro Park.
• Public Art Consulting Consulting services provided to nonprofits, municipalities, developers, and organizations seeking to implement sidewalk stamping programs or other public art projects. Services include project clarification, artist call management, artist selection, and project management.
• Dance Hall To-Go Mobile disco ball project by City Artist Aaron Dysart bringing outdoor dance parties to senior care facilities, creating joy through light shows and music during COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every Saint Paul resident now lives within a 10-minute walk of a Sidewalk Poem
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• City of Saint Paul - Parks and RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore municipal partner for Western Sculpture Park, urban parks programming, and public art installations throughout city parks and recreational facilities.
• City of Saint Paul - Sewer UtilitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner contributing to Western Sculpture Park Sculpture Exhibition and environmental art programming.
• Capitol Region Watershed DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for 2026 Sidewalk Poetry Contest with 'Water' theme inspired by CRWD's We Are Water exhibit. Hosted kickoff workshop and info session for poetry contest.
• Ryan CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster developer of Highland Bridge 122-acre development on former Ford Site. PASP managing public art process for City of Saint Paul at this major mixed-use development.
• City of Saint PaulcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore municipal partner through Public Art Ordinance (1% for Public Art). PASP places artists in leading roles in city government to shape public spaces and improve city systems.
• Saint Paul AlmanacsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Sidewalk Poetry program and 2023 contest winners whose work explores 'network of mutuality.'
• Oyate HotanincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous arts and social justice organization that presented Wakpa Triennial Opening Day Celebrations with PASP. Creating flower mosaics and leading Round Dance events.
• Schubert ClubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization providing Schubert Club Bandshell venue at Raspberry Island for Wakpa Triennial Opening Day celebrations.
• Intercontinental Saint Paul Riverfront HotelsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for Wakpa Triennial Opening Week Dinner event hosting artists, business leaders, and political officials.
• City of Saint Paul - Department of Public WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey municipal partner for Sidewalk Poetry program (concrete pouring and sidewalk maintenance integration) and City Artist program workspace.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Walker Art Center: Minneapolis-based contemporary art museum and performing arts venue with adjacent public sculpture garden. Comparable as a major Twin Cities arts institution, but operates as a much larger museum rather than a community public-art nonprofit.
• Minneapolis Institute of Art: Major Minneapolis-based encyclopedic art museum offering free general admission. Comparable as a free-admission regional arts institution, though it operates a traditional museum rather than community public-art programming.
• Arts Midwest: Minneapolis-based regional arts organization serving eight states with grantmaking and programming. Comparable as a larger arts nonprofit operating in the same funding ecosystem as PASP but with broader geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Creative Time: New York-based nonprofit that commissions public art projects and produces community-engaged programming in nontraditional spaces. Directly comparable as a public art commissioning nonprofit with emphasis on artist-driven civic projects.
• Springboard for the Arts: Saint Paul-based nonprofit supporting artists and community arts development across Minnesota. Direct Twin Cities peer with overlapping community engagement, artist support, and public space activation missions.
• Mural Arts Philadelphia: Philadelphia's public art program, founded in 1984, producing murals and public art with deep city government partnership and community engagement focus. Closely comparable to PASP in combining municipal integration, community programming, and free public art delivery.
• Forecast Public Art: Saint Paul-based nonprofit (formerly Public Art Review) supporting public artists through grants, fellowships, and resources. Direct Twin Cities peer focused on the same public art field with overlapping artist-pipeline and field-building work.
• Public Art Fund: New York-based nonprofit founded in 1977 that commissions and presents temporary public art installations across the city. Directly comparable as a public art nonprofit producing free exhibitions and installations for a major urban audience.

Emerging players

• Project for Public Spaces: New York-based nonprofit focused on placemaking and activating public spaces through community-led processes. Comparable in mission around community-driven public space transformation, though broader in scope than pure public art.

Others

• Plains Art Museum: Fargo, ND-based regional art museum where PASP's current Executive Director Colleen Sheehy previously served as Director. Comparable as a regional Upper Midwest arts institution, but a traditional museum rather than a community public-art nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/publicartstpaul
• Instagraminstagram.com/publicartstpaul
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/public-art-saint-paul

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Public Art Saint Paul