Public Art Longevity Fund
Public art tells the story of who we are—and who we aspire to be. The Public Art Longevity Fund (PALF) ensures that these stories endure.
Established by the Columbus Area Arts Council in 2022, PALF is a dedicated fund that preserves and protects the public artworks that shape our city’s identity. It provides critical resources to restore, maintain, and sustain our public art for generations to come.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Carousel for Companionship
at NexusPark
Carousel for Companionship breathes new life into a beloved artwork, reimagining A Carousel for Columbus (originally part of Exhibit Columbus 2023) for its new home at NexusPark. Funded by the Public Art Longevity Fund, this transformation honors the spirit of the original installation while deepening its relationship to place.
Designed by Could Be Design, the rotating platform celebrates iconic Columbus architecture through playful abstract forms. Now situated within NexusPark’s vibrant central corridor, the work serves as both a sculptural landmark and a stage for movement, imagination, and connection.
This project highlights how public art can evolve over time, adapt to new contexts, and continue to spark wonder. At NexusPark, Carousel for Companionship becomes more than a preservation effort—it’s a renewed invitation to gather, play, and dream together.
Public Art Longevity Fund
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Public Art Longevity Fund. Your generosity allows us to ensure the enduring presence and impact of public art in our community.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Repairs to Flamenco
The Columbus Area Arts Council led the restoration and relocation of Flamenco, a dynamic red steel sculpture by Ruth Aizuss Migdal. Originally installed in 2014 and permanently acquired in 2016, the sculpture underwent welding and repainting funded by CAAC’s Public Art Longevity Fund.
Flamenco has found a new temporary home in the median of 8th Street’s “Mill Race Park Gateway,” a collaborative streetscape improvement project that enhances connectivity between downtown and Mill Race Park. The rededication ceremony on December 14, 2023, celebrated not just the sculpture’s return, but the city’s ongoing investment in vibrant, lasting public art.
Public Art Longevity Fund
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Public Art Longevity Fund. Your generosity allows us to ensure the enduring presence and impact of public art in our community.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Ancestral Way Restoration
In 2024, artist Robert Pulley restored Ancestral Way, the eleven-piece ceramic sculpture he originally created in 2006. Over time, the mortar bonds had failed, leaving one of the pieces unsecured. Pulley personally led the restoration, carefully removing the piece, chiseling away remnants of old adhesive, and reassembling it. Once complete, the sculpture was returned to its original site—visually unchanged, but now stable and secure.
Having the original artist complete the repair adds lasting integrity to the work. Supported by the Public Art Longevity Fund, this project reflects our commitment to preserving the cultural and artistic legacy that makes Columbus unique.
Located along westbound 3rd Street (State Highway 46) between Jackson and Lindsey Streets, Ancestral Way features hand-built, stoneware-fired ceramic sculptures that combine references to the human figure with organic and geologic forms. The installation was part of the Columbus Sculpture Invitational in 2006 and was later purchased by the City of Columbus.
Public Art Longevity Fund
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Public Art Longevity Fund. Your generosity allows us to ensure the enduring presence and impact of public art in our community.
City of Columbus
Mayor's Public Art Committee
Eos by Dessa Kirk
Image by Don Nissen, Columbus Area Visitors Center
Mayor's Public Art Committee (MPAC) Members
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Mary Harmon, Community Volunteer, Appointed by Mayor
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Daniel Martinez, J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program, Appointed by Mayor
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(Open), Local Artist, Appointed by Mayor
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Grace Kestler, City Council Representative
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Richard McCoy, Landmark Columbus Foundation Designee
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(Open), BCSC Designee
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Jennifer Riley, J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program, Post-Secondary Institution Designee
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Shanda Sasse, The Commons, Columbus City Parks Designee
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Erin Hawkins, Columbus Area Visitor's Center Designee
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Tricia Gilson, Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives Designee
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Brooke Hawkins, Non-voting - Director of Columbus Area Arts Council
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Mary Ferdon, Non-voting - City of Columbus Administration Designee
The Mayor of Columbus created and established this public art committee to encourage the creation, installation, proper insurance coverage, and maintenance of public art in Columbus, through both public and private initiatives.
Jackson Street Parking Garage Mural
Image by Tony Vasquez
