PUBLIC ART RESTON

Public Art Reston is a collaborative nonprofit organization serving Reston, a uniquely planned community located in Fairfax County, Virginia. The organization's mission is to inspire an ongoing commitment to public art and create a new generation of artworks in the community. Public Art Reston's vision is to imagine public art throughout Reston that transforms public spaces and engages the mind and senses. Public Art Reston imagines that artworks can become an integral feature of the life and character of Reston. Through its expertise, Public Art Reston also seeks to be a model for intentional public art projects and programs as well as public art advocacy throughout the DC metropolitan region.

Public artworks that are commissioned in Reston aim to shape the community in the following ways:
- Identity. Public art projects will strengthen the visual identity of Reston, its community institutions, civic spaces and gathering places.
- Place. Public art projects will transform the character and experience of Reston’s public places and shared community spaces, and anchor new spaces that the community seeks to create.
- The Spirit of Reston. Public art projects will reflect unique aspects of the community and its public art traditions. Artworks should be fun and engaging, they should reinforce gathering places, they should reflect its careful stewardship of the environment.

The organization's goals are to: develop new public artworks recognized for artistic excellence; support private developers's who commit to a volunteer public art proffer; provide educational programs for students, artists, residents and visitors about public art; engage the community in public art-making activities; increase support for public art in Reston; and advocate for more public art across the region.

Public Art Reston, with community partners and stakeholders, brings permanent and temporary public artworks for the enjoyment of the community and visitors. These projects are complemented by outreach and educational programs, including artist talks, workshops, guided tours, videos, signage, and online documentation.

Public Art Reston's strategies are guided by the "Public Art Master Plan for Reston". The “Public Art Master Plan for Reston”, adopted in 2008, was created thanks to the people, institutions and businesses who make Reston such an extraordinary community. Reston is the first non incorporated community in the United States to have adopted such a plan. The “Public Art Master Plan for Reston” asserts a shared, community wide understanding and agreement about goals and objectives for public art in Reston. The plan outlines a vision for how new public artworks can build on Reston’s traditions of design, community and environment; priorities for selecting and funding projects; principles and processes for decision–making and oversight for public art projects to be successful.

The organization's strategies for making this happen are to consult regularly with community partners and stakeholders and to follow principles established in the "Public Art Master Plan for Reston":
- Public artworks should be commissioned in all areas of Reston and should be accessible to everybody – residents, employees, schoolchildren, and visitors;
- Public artworks should be considered in any new development in Reston — from new community facilities to major private projects to public–private endeavors;
- The location of public artworks should respond to Reston’s established community planning and urban design strategies;
- Reston’s collection of artworks should be diverse; artworks should be integrated into the design of buildings, public spaces, landscapes and community infrastructure; and
- Artist-led projects should seek to engage the community.

Public Art Reston aims to create awareness about the public artworks by developing communications strategies and outreach and educational programs that embrace social equity and target diverse audiences, including students, millennials, and 55+.

In its first ten years Public Art Reston has developed working partnership with its founding organizations - Reston Association, Reston Community Center, Reston Town Center Association, Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, Hunter Mill District Supervisor's Office, Greater Reston Arts Center- as well as with schools and developers. This dedication and support have led to the realization of numerous temporary and permanent public artworks installed throughout the community, and to enriching outreach and educational programs.

Public Art Reston has one full-time staff and two part-time staff. The Executive Director has more than 30 years of experience in the visual arts and public art fields and arts administration. Part-time staff has backgrounds in visual arts, design, and education. Staff participates in professional development opportunities to stay current in best practices. Public Art Reston also relies on the guidance, expertise and financial support of its board of directors. The board includes representatives of founding community organizations as well as professionals in the fields of architecture, visual arts, accounting, land use, communications, marketing and the law. Board members as well as volunteers perform valuable committee work to support Public Art Reston with communications and marketing, finance, development, and the Public Art Committee.

To date the organization, in collaboration with its community partners and other stakeholders, has made an indelible impact on the community.

The work of the organization is ongoing, but some of its key accomplishments include:
- Adopting the “Public Art Master Plan for Reston” by the Public Art Reston Board of Directors in 2008. Reston is the first unincorporated community in the United States to have adopted such a plan.
- Commissioning and installing 12 permanent and 13 temporary public artworks including both civic and developer-led projects and commissions, since 2009.
- Documenting the 76+ public artworks commissioned or purchased since 1965 on Public Art Reston’s website and on Public Art Archive.
- Creating a map showing the location of the public artworks in the community. The map is updated annually and available in print and on the organization's website.
- Producing four short documentary films by Reston resident and Peabody award-recipient, Rebekah Wingert including: "Emerge: The Making of a public art project" (2010); "Fun, Beauty, Fantasy: Reston's Public Art" (2012), "A Bird in the Hand" (2015); and “The Making of Connie’s Quilt by the South Lakes High School STEAM Team” (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4) (2018).
- Publishing the “Public Art Tour Series – Lake Anne”, a guide to public art at historical Lake Anne Village Center (2017); the "Public Art Tour Series - Reston Town Center", a guide to public art in Reston Town Center (2019); the “Complete Guide for Developers to Public Art in Reston” and the “Developer’s Checklist: Public Art Project Options” for developers who wish to make a voluntary public art proffer commitment; and an educational portfolio about public art for elementary schools.
- Developing and mounting the exhibition “Reston: The Art of Community” (2012, and updated in 2017) in collaboration with Reston Historic Trust & Museum, about the history of Reston’s public art and presented at the Reston Historic Trust & Museum (2012 and 2017), the University of Maryland Kibel Gallery, School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation (2013), and Dulles International Airport (2013-2014).
- Producing public art making events including ChalkFest, in collaboration with Reston Town Center and Boston Properties, at Reston Town Center (since 2015), and Chalk on the Water at Lake Anne (2015-2018), in collaboration with businesses at Lake Anne Village Center.
- Hosting over 10 artist talks and screenings of over 20 documentary films about national and international public art and artists.
- Offering guided tours of the public art at Lake Anne Village Center.
- Offering the "Public Art Explorer" program for families (2020).