Does your local government have a strong relationship with its artistic community? Is public art valued by residents? In his keynote at the 2014 ICMA Annual Conference, Peter Kageyama stressed the importance of art and whimsy in our cities. “We need opportunities to play in our cities. If people are surprised and delighted, they spend money!”

Local governments are encouraged to apply for a grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, “which supports temporary public art projects that enhance the quality of life in cities.”  The project will grant at least three cities up to $1 million each over two years to support temporary public art projects that celebrate creativity, enhance urban identity, encourage public-private partnerships, and drive economic development.

Local governments applying must have a population of 30,000 or more. The deadline for applications is December 15, 2014.