On the occasion of the construction or extension of a public building, the French law provides that part of the budget is reserved for the creation of one or more works of art. This obligation is commonly called the “artistic 1%”, or the obligation to decorate public buildings.
The origin of the artistic 1% in public constructions can be explained by a public desire to support creation and to make citizens aware of “the art of our time”. This mechanism follows a guideline according to which the works conceived must be integrated into the urban and daily landscape of the public. The objective is to allow them to have direct contact with the creations and to familiarize themselves with art.
In practice, the artistic 1% is a procedure which is imposed on the State, public establishments and local authorities when they engage in real estate transactions. This applies for constructions and extensions of public buildings but also for rehabilitations in the event of change of assignment or use.
1% of the budget excluding taxes of the estimated cost of the work must be allocated to the order or purchase of one or more artworks. This amount of artistic intervention includes the artist’s services (from the creation to the installation of the work) as well as the indemnities paid to the artists preselected by the artistic committee consulted, but who were not ultimately chosen. The total envelope cannot, however, exceed 2 million euros. Maintenance and restoration of these works are the responsibility of the client or the public person responsible for the real estate transaction.
The 1% artistic is above all a creative device that allows artists to design different forms of art : plastic, graphic works … with freedom in the choice of materials. New technologies can be used. The goal is to ensure that the work really fits the space in which it is located and is fully coherent and integrated in the building. You can actualky observe this great diversity in the artworks of the artistic 1% by scrolling on our interactive map or strolling around the Orleans university campus.
The 1% artistic procedure is codified in the articles L2172-2 and R2172-7 to R2172-19 in the French Code for Public Procurement. It is also codified by the decree n ° 2002-677 of April 29, 2002, as amended, and by specific decrees of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior.
These two works can be seen on the Orleans La Source university campus.
(© Eloïse Puygrenier, 2021)
On the right, Tribute to Lavoisier by Roger Toulouse (© Sophie Geneau de Lamarlière).
These two works can be seen on the Orleans La Source university campus.
To go further, don’t forget to take a look at the Ministry of Culture and Communication website (right here), especially the artistic 1% examples in the Centre- Val de Loire region (here).
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