ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART
The Association for Public Art is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1872, that commissions, preserves, interprets, and promotes public art across the city. It manages 150+ outdoor sculptures, runs the free Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program, and is funded by foundations, corporate sponsors, and individual donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1872
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART does
The Association for Public Art (aPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1872 (originally as the Fairmount Park Art Association, renamed in 2012) and headquartered in Philadelphia. It is the nation's first private nonprofit dedicated to commissioning, preserving, interpreting, and promoting public art. aPA manages an inventory of more than 150 outdoor sculptures across Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Kelly Drive, Rittenhouse Square, Old City, and University City, and runs the nation's longest ongoing outdoor sculpture conservation program (since 1982). Its flagship interpretive product is Museum Without Walls: AUDIO, a free multi-platform program available via phone, mobile app, and web that delivers curated audio content about the collection.
aPA's program portfolio includes Art on the Parkway (an annual juried temporary-installation program at Maja Park in partnership with the Parkway Council and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation), Public Art Decoded (free walking tours funded through the Powering the Arts initiative), a recurring public art commissioning pipeline, and a conservation program. Recent and forthcoming commissions include 'Let Freedom Ring' by Paul Ramírez Jonas (2026), 'Franklin Thread' by Jeff Richards (2026), and 'Bar None' by Nicolo Gentile (2025). The organization does not develop proprietary technology products.
Revenue is generated through individual donations, memberships, foundation grants (notably The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and William Penn Foundation, including a $1.25M grant in 2017), corporate sponsorships (PECO, PNC Bank, AIR Communities), and online giving via PayPal/NeonCRM. All public programs and events are free and open to the public. Leadership transitioned in August 2023, with Charlotte Cohen succeeding longtime Executive Director Penny Balkin Bach.
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART
- Legal name
- Association for Public Art
- Website
- https://associationforpublicart.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1872
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Association for Public Art is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1872, that commissions, preserves, interprets, and promotes public art across the city. It manages 150+ outdoor sculptures, runs the free Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program, and is funded by foundations, corporate sponsors, and individual donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Art Nonprofit Services
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Historical Sites (71212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)
Keywords
Where ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Memberships: The organization accepts individual donations and offers membership programs that provide benefits such as complimentary admission to Annual Meetings and invitations to special events. Members receive free or discounted access to aPA programs and activities.
- Foundation and Corporate Grants: Major funding comes from foundations such as The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and the William Penn Foundation, as well as corporate sponsors. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making contributions tax-deductible.
- Online Donations via PayPal: The organization accepts online one-time payments through PayPal for donations and membership sign-ups via their website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | General admission to programs and events |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Association for Public Art commissions, preserves, interprets, and promotes public art throughout Philadelphia. It operates the award-winning Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program covering 150+ outdoor sculptures, an interactive Public Art Map, free walking tours, an annual commissioning program (Art on the Parkway), and the nation's longest ongoing outdoor sculpture conservation program.
Product overview
The Association for Public Art (aPA) is a nonprofit cultural organization that serves as the nation's first private nonprofit dedicated to public art. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and services centered around commissioning, preserving, interpreting, and promoting public art in Philadelphia. Core offerings include Museum Without Walls: AUDIO (an award-winning free audio program for outdoor sculptures), an interactive Public Art Map, and free digital guides/apps. The organization also runs specific programs including Art on the Parkway (annual temporary installations), Public Art Decoded (walking tours), a commissioning program, and an ongoing conservation program. The aPA maintains a collection of public artworks and produces exhibitions, events, and educational programming.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Museum Without Walls: AUDIO An award-winning multi-platform audio interpretive program for Philadelphia's outdoor sculptures, available for free by phone, mobile app, or online, featuring over 150 voices from artists, educators, civic leaders, and historians sharing untold histories of public artworks.
- Public Art Map
Quantifiable outcome
- Named among 50 best public art projects by Americans for the Arts (2013)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- Monument LabcoreMonument Lab originally commissioned 'Let Freedom Ring' in August 2023 for the Beyond Granite exhibition on the National Mall in Washington, DC. They are co-presenting the Philadelphia installation and participating in artist talks and educational programs.
- Delaware River Waterfront CorporationcorePartnering to present 'Let Freedom Ring' at Cherry Street Pier, providing venue and operational support for the installation.
- PA Youth VotecoreProgram partner for 'Let Freedom Ring' events including the 'Our Freedom Our Voice' collage workshop for Youth Ambassadors.
- National Constitution CentercoreProgram partner hosting 'Let Freedom Ring: Family Day Honoring the March on Washington' and related educational activities.
- Historical Society of PennsylvaniacoreProgram partner presenting 'Exploring Liberty Bell History' workshop at Cherry Street Pier as part of 'Let Freedom Ring' programming.
- Marian Anderson Historical SocietycoreProgram partner hosting museum tours exploring Marian Anderson's legacy and connection to 'America (My Country 'Tis of Thee)'.
- Play On PhillyminorProgram partner providing musical performances for 'Let Freedom Ring' family day events.
- Parkway CouncilcoreCoalition of cultural and educational institutions along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Co-organizes Art on the Parkway commissions and Parkway 100 celebrations. Partnership involves 23 member organizations including major museums and institutions.
- Philadelphia Parks and RecreationcoreCity agency partnership for public art installations, park programming, and maintenance of artworks on city property.
- Fairmount Park Art Association founding legacy (1889)coreHistorical partnership with acquiring plaster casts for major European sculptures including 'The Mounted Amazon Attacked by a Panther' and 'The Lion Fighter'.
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)coreCo-leading public art walking tours of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway as part of 'A Nation of Artists' joint exhibition and Public Art Decoded series.
- Philadelphia Museum of ArtcoreKey institutional partner for Parkway 100 and major public art initiatives. Co-presented AMOR sculpture and hosts major exhibitions.
- Mural Arts PhiladelphiaminorCollaborated on Parkway mural project and Printmaking by the People workshop for 'Let Freedom Ring' events.
- AIR Communities/Park Towne PlacemajorPrivate/public partnership for Maja Park development on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. AIR Communities owns adjacent Park Towne Place Museum District Residences.
- The Franklin InstitutecoreParkway Museums District member and collaborator on 'Planetarium on the Parkway' event with OPEN AIR installation.
- The Barnes FoundationcoreParkway Museums District member collaborating on Parkway 100 exhibitions and community programming.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- San Francisco Arts Commission: City agency that commissions and manages public art across San Francisco. Comparable in curatorial and stewardship role for a city's public art collection, though structured as a municipal commission rather than a private nonprofit.
- Chicago Public Art Group: Chicago-based nonprofit producing community-driven public art since 1971. Operates the same commissioning-plus-interpretation nonprofit model in a different city, with analogous mural and sculpture community programs.
Direct peers
- Creative Time: New York nonprofit that produces public art commissions and programs in nontraditional venues. Highly comparable as a peer nonprofit commissioning artist-driven public art projects with similar interpretive and educational programming.
- Public Art Fund: New York-based nonprofit that commissions and presents contemporary public art, with a comparable model of free public programming, temporary installations, and institutional partnerships. Closest national analog in mission and operating model.
- Mural Arts Philadelphia: Philadelphia-based nonprofit dedicated to public art, with a parallel mission of commissioning and interpreting murals and place-based works citywide. Directly comparable as a fellow public-art nonprofit operating in the same city and overlapping donor ecosystem.
- Percent for Art: Nonprofit advocating for public art funding and policy across U.S. cities. Directly comparable mission around public art advocacy and the percent-for-art framework that the Association for Public Art helped pioneer in Philadelphia.
Broad incumbents
- Philadelphia Museum of Art: Major art museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and a Parkway Council co-member. Operates at much larger scale in a traditional museum setting but shares curatorial overlap on the same public artworks and artists the Association commissions.
- The Barnes Foundation: Major Parkway Council member and Philadelphia art institution that collaborates with the Association on exhibitions and community programming. Comparable as a cultural institution on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with shared audience and donor base.
Others
- Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit that awarded the Association its 2015 Public Art Network Award. Functions as an industry body and advocacy organization for the public art field the Association operates in — an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Emerging players
- Socrates Sculpture Park: New York outdoor sculpture park that commissions and exhibits large-scale public artworks and hosts public programming. Comparable in offering free public access to outdoor sculpture with artist residencies and community programs.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART social profiles
Digital presenceASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART
What does ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART do?
The Association for Public Art commissions, preserves, interprets, and promotes public art throughout Philadelphia. It operates the award-winning Museum Without Walls: AUDIO program covering 150+ outdoor sculptures, an interactive Public Art Map, free walking tours, an annual commissioning program (Art on the Parkway), and the nation's longest ongoing outdoor sculpture conservation program.
Is ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART a public or private company?
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART founded?
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART was founded in 1872. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART based?
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Memberships are the primary driver. The others are foundation and Corporate Grants and online Donations via PayPal.
Who are ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART's main competitors?
Regional players on record are San Francisco Arts Commission and Chicago Public Art Group. Direct peers are Creative Time, Public Art Fund, Mural Arts Philadelphia and Percent for Art. Broad incumbents are Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Barnes Foundation. Americans for the Arts is listed as an others. Socrates Sculpture Park is listed as an emerging player.
Does ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART have an API?
No public API is recorded for ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART.
What industry is ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART in?
ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC ART's product category is Public Art Nonprofit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAH, Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAA, Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty). Its NAICS code is 712.