Public Art in State Buildings
When the Public Buildings Art Fund was established in 1982 the main objective was that 1% of the annual budget for building construction should be reserved for art in new state buildings.
An expert committee, consisting of externally appointed artists and architects, deals with the projects and is in charge of the artistic solution prior to the approval of the Buildings owner and users.
Pubic Art in Older State Buildings and State-rented Buildings.
From 1999 the bugdet for Public Art in State-rented Buildings and Older State Buildings and their immediate surroundings was transfeed to the Fund from the Parlament, where Tate institutions could apply for funds.
The Fund appointed an art consultant for every art project.
In each case of public art in State buildings a committee is to be appointed, consisting of members representing the builder, user and art consultant respectively.
The committee is to establish an art project for the particular State building to be approved by the Fund.
In projects under ISK 1,5 million the Fund normally have one art consultant and in projcets over ISK 1,5 million there are two art consultants where one is an experienced consultant and the other one an artist.
This consultant is the leader of a committee appointed by the Fund. In addition to the art consultant this committee consist of, members representing the builder, the user and architect respectively.
The manager of the Fund have an important task in guiding the consultants since the Fund is the place where the accumulation of prior experience is ensure. Further ways of ensuring the quality of the consultants are being discussed in the Fund.
The committee is to decide an art work for the particular building. In larger projects a small number of artists may compete for the task. In cases of large buildings of special importance, closed competitions have been held.
It has become more and more customary for the State to acquire properties in other ways than to build these itself. The art provided for these buildings will to a great extent be existing artworks, purchased from artists, and only rarely art on a commission or intergrated in the building.
Public Art in buildings for local authorities
State contributions are of grate importance in order to motivate investment in art involved, for example in the buildings of schools and cultural institutions. In recent years the Fund has given special priority to grants for schools and hospitals.
Public Art in Outdoor Areas.
Only a few art projects are chosen for contribution from the Fund
While the fund arrangement for local authorities is open only to public organizations, in the case of outdoor areas there are also opportunities for support to co-operative projects in the municipalities sector.