How Chicago Commissions Public Art: The DCASE Pathways Explained

Chicago commissions public art through a structured system managed by DCASE, primarily via the Percent for Art ordinance, direct commissions for small budgets, and special project RFQs. Understanding these pathways is crucial for artists seeking opportunities, as they determine eligibility, selection, and funding.

Caitlin O'Malley

October 25, 2026 · 4 min read

Public art in Chicago does not arrive by accident. Behind most of the city's murals, sculptures, and installations sits a structured system run by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), which manages the Chicago Public Art Collection and decides how new works are selected, funded, and placed. For artists hoping to work in the city, the practical question is simple: which pathway does a given opportunity follow? The answer determines who is eligible, how the artist is chosen, and how much money is on the table.

The Percent for Art Ordinance: Funding New Installations

The backbone of the system is the Percent for Art ordinance. Under it, 1.33% of the construction budget for building or major renovation of a City-owned or City-financed building or structure—or for certain outdoor improvements—is set aside to commission art at that site. The city's own guidelines note that eligible buildings include libraries, police stations, fire houses, senior centers, and similar municipal facilities.

That means new public art tends to follow new civic construction. When a library or fire station is built or substantially renovated, a slice of that budget automatically becomes an art budget, and DCASE staff administer how it is spent. The ordinance also gives DCASE ongoing duties beyond commissioning: the department maintains the hundreds of artworks already in the Chicago Public Art Collection and evaluates proposed donations of artwork, deciding whether to accept them and where and how to display them.

Donations deserve a note of realism. The city's guidelines acknowledge that donors often want their generosity recognized through public display, and that this "is not always able to be done to the donor's satisfaction." Acceptance is a decision, not a formality, and DCASE controls both the determination and the placement of donated works.

Commissioning Pathways: Direct Awards and Special Projects

Once a Percent for Art project is identified, the selection process is designed to be, in the city's words, "both project-specific and community-based." But there is a critical fork in the road based on budget size. If the budget available for the project is no more than $10,000—counting the artist's fee, fabrication, and installation—the project will usually be awarded as a direct commission rather than through a competitive process.

Larger projects run through the competitive route, and DCASE also initiates special public art projects outside the Percent for Art framework. A recent example shows how these work. The City of Chicago, through DCASE and in partnership with the Chicago Park District, issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a significant public art commission at the future DuSable Park. The call, titled "DuSable Park Public Art: Honoring Native Voices," had a submission deadline of January 2, 2026, was open to artists nationally, and carried a budget of $500,000—inclusive of all costs and fees for design, engineering, fabrication, site preparation, installation, and related expenses.

The DuSable Park call also illustrates how special projects carry thematic direction. The announcement states the artwork will "uplift Native voices, honoring Indigenous inhabitants' continued presence and their foundational role in the origins of Chicago," telling a story of alliance, cultural exchange, and enduring vibrancy. Artists responding to such RFQs are therefore evaluated not only on qualifications but on fit with a defined civic narrative.

Chicago Public Art Commissioning Pathways

The framework below sorts the distinct DCASE-managed tracks by how money enters the process and how the artist is chosen, so a reader can identify which pathway a given opportunity follows.

DCASE public art commissioning tracks
Track	Funding Source	Artist Selection	Key Characteristics
Percent for Art	1.33% of construction or major renovation budgets for City-owned or City-financed buildings and certain outdoor improvements	Project-specific, community-based process; competitive unless budget is $10,000 or less	Tied to civic construction such as libraries, police stations, and fire houses
Direct commission	Project budget of $10,000 or less, including artist's fee, fabrication, and installation	Usually awarded directly, without a competitive process	Applies to small-budget Percent for Art projects
Special project RFQ	Project-specific budget stated in the call (e.g., $500,000 for DuSable Park)	Request for Qualifications; may be open nationally	Often in partnership with entities like the Chicago Park District; may carry a defined theme
Donated artwork	Donor-funded	DCASE determines acceptance, placement, and display	Public display is not guaranteed to the donor's satisfaction

Reading the table as a diagnostic: if an opportunity stems from a new municipal building, it is Percent for Art; if its budget is $10,000 or less, expect a direct commission; if it is a standalone civic initiative with a stated theme and budget, it is a special project RFQ. Each path has different eligibility, scale, and decision points.