New Public Art Advocacy Fund
The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) has created a dedicated Public Art Advocacy Fund to promote sound stewardship, and assist artists, cultural institutions, stewards, and others associated with land-based art and art in the public realm by offering strategic technical assistance and providing a forum to draw immediate and lasting attention to at-risk works, collecting and disseminating information, and coalition building to mobilize support on behalf of the artists and their work. Site-specific works of art in the landscape rank among the most organic and historically significant representations of our cultural identity and are often the most at-risk and threatened. Today, there are examples of land-based art from earthworks, folk art creations, single artist, multi-acre installations, and others that are threatened by demolition, neglect, poor maintenance, vandalism, and lack of funding.
The genesis of this initiative stems from a clear need evidenced over some two decades of TCLF’s public education and advocacy efforts on behalf of art in the public realm land-based art including: Athena Tacha’s Green Acres, Trenton, N.J.; Mary Miss’ Greenwood Pond: Double Site, Des Moines, IA, South Cove, Battery Park City, N.Y., and Staged Gates, Dayton, OH; Robert Morris’ Untitled (Johnson Pit No. 30), Seattle, WA; Nancy Holt’s Dark Star Park, Arlington, VA; Sabato “Simon” Rodia’s Watts Towers, Los Angeles, CA; Harvey Fite’s Opus 40, Saugerties, N.Y.; Elyn Zimmerman’s Marabar, Washington, D.C.; and many others. In those efforts where TCLF has been involved, success has included historic designation, restoration and repair of significant works, even relocating work with the consent and under the direction of the artist.
The announcement of the fund’s existence was first made on January 14, 2025, the same day as the settlement of a breach of contract suit filed by the Land Art pioneer Mary Miss against the Des Moines Art Center, concerning the environmental sculpture Greenwood Pond: Double Site. The artwork, which was commissioned by the Art Center and opened in 1996, suffered from what appeared to be a lack of proper maintenance and stewardship. Rather than restore the work, the Art Center’s leadership decided to destroy it. While the artist did receive a financial settlement, the artwork, which the scholars and the artist considered to be among her most important, will unfortunately be razed.
The Public Art Advocacy Fund will be advised by a Leadership Committee (currently in formation) of artists, scholars, stewards, lawyers, patrons, and curators. In addition to providing a forum for information sharing, public engagement, and strategy development, the fund will explore ways to ensure the protection of works through increasing its visibility and valuation, best practices, securing pro bono legal counsel, and long-term stewardship.
Mary Miss very generously made the inaugural gift to the new Public Art Advocacy Fund; donations can be made here (in the "Leave a Comment" section state that the donation is for the Public Art Advocacy Fund).