The City of Austin’s Art in Public Places program invites artists to apply for paid commissions, temporary installations, and exhibitions at City Hall and the airport — no application fee, and 2 percent of every eligible city capital budget goes toward funding the work
Next application deadline: Monday, August 3, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Program details and application at austintexas.gov/aipp.
Well neighbor, if you’re an artist — or if you know one who’s been looking for that first big break into paid public art work — here’s a piece of news worth passing along. The City of Austin has ongoing open calls for artists through its Art in Public Places program, and the next round of applications closes Monday, August 3 at 5:00 p.m. Whether you’re a working painter, sculptor, muralist, digital artist, or something harder to categorize, Austin has been quietly running one of the most artist-friendly public art programs in the state for four decades, and there’s a real seat at the table for Texas creators.
Here’s what makes this worth paying attention to. Way back in 1985, the Austin City Council adopted what’s called a “percent for art” ordinance — the first Texas city to do so — dedicating 2 percent of eligible capital improvement project budgets toward commissioning artists and acquiring artwork for city-owned buildings, spaces, and facilities. That means every time Austin builds a new library, a fire station, a park pavilion, or upgrades the airport, a slice of the budget goes toward putting real, thoughtful, site-specific art into the finished space. Over the years, that ordinance has grown into a program that includes permanent commissioned works, a rotating exhibition series at City Hall, changing exhibits at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and a temporary public art program called TEMPO that gives artists a paid path into their first city commission.
The People’s Gallery at Austin City Hall
On the first three floors of Austin City Hall, the People’s Gallery is an ongoing exhibition series that showcases the work of local and regional artists on two-year rotations. The gallery welcomes over 200,000 visitors annually, giving artists a prominent, high-traffic venue right in the civic heart of the city. There’s no submission fee to apply, and many of the works on view are available for purchase — the city takes no commission from sales, so what you earn goes directly to you or your gallery.
Changing Exhibits at the Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has 12 gallery spaces spread throughout the terminal, and they engage more than 20,000 daily visitors. The Changing Exhibits Program invites artists to respond to a rotating exhibition theme and puts their work in front of one of the largest, most diverse audiences you could ask for as a Texas artist — travelers arriving from every state and every country, all pausing at your work between gates.
TEMPO — Temporary Public Art
If you’ve been curious about public art but haven’t yet done a permanent commission, TEMPO is designed as an entry point. It brings site-specific temporary artworks to public spaces around Austin, giving artists the chance to design, fabricate, install, and maintain a piece under contract with the city or one of its program partners. Installations stay up for a year. For the current program year, AIPP is partnering with The Trail Conservancy to put new TEMPO works along the Butler Trail.
Who can apply
The People’s Gallery and Changing Exhibits programs are typically open to professional artists 18 and older who live or work in the Austin metropolitan area — including Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson Counties. Larger commissioned projects sometimes open to national artists as well. Each specific call has its own eligibility rules, so read the fine print for the opportunity you’re applying to.
What the application asks for
For most calls, you’ll need an artist statement, a portfolio of images showing your work, and the standard application. There is no fee to submit, which is worth repeating — free to apply, and paid work if you’re selected. Selected artists are then reviewed by the Art in Public Places Panel, a seven-member volunteer committee of visual arts professionals appointed by the Austin Arts Commission, before recommendations move forward.
Why this matters for Texas artists
Here’s what makes Austin’s program different from most: the funding is real and the volume is significant. Percent-for-art programs generate substantial commission opportunities that get renewed with every new capital project the city undertakes. Combined with the airport expansion, ongoing park upgrades, and city facility construction, that’s a steady flow of paid work available to artists who can navigate the process. And it’s not just for big-name established artists. TEMPO in particular exists specifically to bring newer artists into the fold.
Next steps
If any of this speaks to you, go to austintexas.gov/aipp for the full list of current open calls, deadlines, eligibility rules, and application links. Specific deadlines vary by opportunity, but the current program’s next application window closes Monday, August 3, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Give yourself a week or more to pull together a strong portfolio, sharpen your artist statement, and read the eligibility carefully. If you have questions, you can reach the Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment office at [email protected].
So spread the word, neighbor. If you know a working artist — the one painting murals in East Austin, the sculptor teaching at the community college, the friend who runs an Instagram full of quiet, gorgeous ceramics — send them this. There’s real money on the table, real audience reach through City Hall and the airport, and one of the state’s most established public art programs waiting to hear from them.
The application is free. The opportunity is real. All they have to do is apply.
