Art in Architecture Program Center for Fine Arts; GSA 7437

This is a revision to an existing collection. In accordance with Executive Orders 14148 and 14168, the form GSA 7437, Art in Architecture Program National Artist Registry, will be updated to eliminate the optional demographic information, which is no longer being collected. The Art in Architecture (AiA) program is the result of a policy decision made in January 1963 by the U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA) Administrator Bernard L. Boudin, who served on the Ad Hoc Committee on Federal Office Space in 1961-62. The Committee’s report to President Kennedy included the “Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture,” which detailed a new quality conscious Federal attitude toward architecture. One point, which was omitted from the report because Administrator Boudin implemented it prior to the policy’s publication, was: A modest portion of the cost of each new Federal office building, not to exceed one percent of the total expense, shall be allocated for the purchase of fine arts to be incorporated in the general design. Emphasis should be placed on the work of living American artists, representing all trends of contemporary art, but this practice should not preclude the purchase of works of earlier periods where this would be appropriate. In commissioning the work of living artists, competitions should be encouraged. Administrator Boudin approved a policy of commissioning works of art for public buildings under GSA’s jurisdiction, custody, and control in an amount not to exceed one half of one percent of the construction cost. The requirement to commission artworks for federal buildings can be found in part 102-77 of the Federal Management Regulation (41 C.F.R. part 102-77). The program has been modified over the years, most recently in 2022, to align with Executive Order (E.O.)14029 issued on May 14, 2021 “Revocation of Certain Presidential Actions and Technical Amendment,” and to support E.O. 13985 issued January 2021, titled “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. E.O. 14029 revoked E.O. 13934 issued July 3, 2020, Building and Rebuilding Monuments to American Heroes. E.O. 14189 of January 29, 2025 “Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday, revoked E.O.14129 and reinstates E.O. 13934. As mandated by E.O. 13934, the AiA program must prioritize the commissioning of artworks that portray historically significant Americans or events of American historical significance, or that illustrate the ideals upon which the Nation was founded. Priority is to be given to public-facing monuments to former Presidents of the United States, and to individuals and events relating to the discovery of America, the founding of the United States, and the abolition of slavery. Such works of art are to be designed to be appreciated by the public and by those who use and interact with Federal buildings. When an artwork commissioned by GSA is meant to depict a historically significant American, the artwork is required to be a lifelike or realistic representation of that person, not an abstract or modernist representation. With the implementation of the 2025 policy, the AiA program seeks to commission works from American artists that “portray historically significant Americans or events of American historical significance or illustrate the ideals upon which our nation was founded.” Since 1972, GSA has awarded over 500 commissions to artists with established careers and artists of local and regional prominence. In support of the AiA program’s goal to commission the most talented contemporary American artists to create works for the nation’s important new civic buildings, it is necessary to identify those artists. The GSA National Artist Registry (Registry) offers the opportunity for artists across the country to participate and to be considered for commissions.

The latest form for Art in Architecture Program Center for Fine Arts; GSA 7437 expires 2028-11-30 and can be found here.