Ames City Council approves FY25-26 arts funding, including $46,000 for public art

The Ames City Council on Feb. 11 approved budget allocations for the city’s arts programs for fiscal year 2025–26, including $46,000 of new money for the Public Art Commission and $252,978 for the Commission on the Arts (COTA).

City staff told the council the $46,000 for the Public Art Commission is intended to supplement an existing fund balance and will support the annual outdoor sculpture exhibition, a neighborhood art program, public-art administration (including repair and placement) and an “art in the parks” reserve intended to grow toward larger purchases for city parks.

The Commission on the Arts budget of $252,978 is the total recommended allocation to support grantmaking to local arts agencies and organizations. Staff said COTA received applications from 22 agencies this cycle and used a scoring process that left some funds set aside for spring and fall special-project grants (up to $1,000 each). Two new agencies applied this year; one organization that had participated in the current year did not apply for next year.

Council members asked staff how agencies are told about any reductions in awards. Staff said the commission’s blind scoring and review process produced the recommendations and that staff can respond to agency questions about scoring or ways to present future requests differently, but the commission does not typically provide detailed written explanations with awards.

The council adopted the allocations as part of its FY25–26 budget actions. Staff noted that the Public Art Commission’s unspent funds carry forward and that the $46,000 is additive to an existing balance carried from prior years.

Ending: The adopted allocations will be combined with previously carried balances for the Public Art Commission and implemented under the commission’s usual administration and grant cycles.