One of the Arts Council of Johnson County’s primary focus areas is advocating for policies that strengthen the arts in Johnson County. To date, we have been successful in being the lead advocate for a Johnson County Government 1% public art program. With help of over 200 individuals, the Board of County Commissioners established a 1% public art program in December 2006.

The Johnson County Government 1% public art program is funded by Johnson County Government through a dedicated stream of revenue which is generated by County capital building projects.

The Johnson County Public Art program commits 1% of the building cost of newly constructed County buildings to public art. The minimum public art project size is $75,000 and the maximum is $1,000,000. Public art assessments on smaller projects that don't generate enough funds to meet the minimum project size are accumulated in a Trust Fund to be spent on projects of the County's choosing at a later time.

The Public Art Commission (PAC) serves as both an advisory commission to the Board of Commissioners and manager of the public art program. The PAC administers the selection process for artists and artworks and recommends final selections to the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners.

Click here to view a complete list of Johnson County Board of County Commissioners.

Chairman: Larry Meeker, Lake Quivira - Second District representative nominated by Commissioner John Segale. Meeker is president of Quivira, Inc., the corporation that runs the Lake Quivira country club community. He is a long-time art collector, volunteer in arts organizations, and past president of the Arts Council of Johnson County.

Christopher Leitch, Merriam, - First District representative nominated by Commissioner Ed Peterson. Leitch is an artist and the director of the Kansas City Museum at Corinthian Hall.

Charles Carlsen, Overland Park, - Third District representative nominated by
Commissioner David Lindstrom. Carlsen served as president of Johnson County Community College from 1981 to 2006 and played an active role in cultivating the arts at the college.

Sally Anderson, Overland Park, - Fourth District representative nominated by
Commissioner Ed Eilert. Anderson, creative resources and freelance design director at Hallmark Cards, serves on the Overland Park Friends of the Art Executive Board and chairs the Public Art Master Plan subcommittee

Kay O’Connor, Olathe, - Sixth District representative nominated by Commissioner John Toplikar. O’Connor served in the Kansas House of Representative for eight years and in the Kansas Senate for six years and teaches music at Padre Pio Academy; and,

Mary Tearney, Leawood, - Seventh District representative nominated by Chairman
Surbaugh.

Jim Hamil, Overland Park, – recommended for appointment by the Arts Council of Johnson County.