Frisco Adopts Public Art Master Plan
In 2002, the City of Frisco, Texas developed a public art program at a pivotal moment in its history.
With a population of just over 50,000 residents, and a unique position in the North Texas Region, the City was poised for explosive growth, culminating with an anticipated population of just over 350,000 people by 2035.
Named one of the “fastest growing cities in the US” for multiple years, and the “fastest growing city” from 2000 to 2009 and again in 2017, development pressures soared, and careful planning and development became a priority of City leadership. Because of the anticipated swell in population and extraordinary development pressure, visionary leaders established a permanent funding source through a percent for arts ordinance that would shape the built environment in the City over the next 15 years as the development of the City grew to accommodate approximately 180,000 residents.
In 2004, a Public Art Master Plan was adopted that would guide the City in making public art decisions in the midst of an ongoing transformation from a smaller community to a booming suburb of Dallas, all while celebrating the characteristics that makes Frisco unique. Public art has been a vital tool for the city in creating distinctiveness in such a large region. The 2004 plan calls for art that celebrates the anticipated transformation and metamorphosis of the City and sets out specific opportunities to complete that vision through installations at city facilities, neighborhood parks, hike and bike trails, road improvements and at numerous water projects. Since the adoption of the ordinance and the 2004 master plan, over 75 pieces have been commissioned for the City of Frisco and total over $4,000,000.00 in investment. In addition, the Public Art Program hosts Art in the Atrium exhibition, featuring two-dimensional works by North Texas artists.
In 2017, thirteen years after the adoption of the original Frisco Public Art Master Plan, the City commissioned an update. Many of the goals and strategies developed in the 2004 Master Plan were complete and a plan looking forward to the next ten years was necessary. Many of the same needs are present today; a desire for distinctiveness in an even larger region, flexibility in the existing program, and a general want for increased pieces of public art. In addition, identification of relevant themes and direction for ongoing program development and management are ever present. This plan seeks to update the existing mechanism in which public art is commissioned in the City of Frisco and provides a framework to commission additional pieces for the City and manage the existing collection.
Learn more about the Frisco Public Art Program here.
The Public Art Master Plan was adopted on August 22, 2018 and can be viewed here.