Oro Valley is home to nearly 100 examples of public art worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The 96 pieces of art in the town weren't paid for by taxpayers, but by developers: Public art is a required element for all new non-residential and public development projects in Oro Valley, according to the town.
Oro Valley's zoning code requires that 1 percent of the building permit valuation for the total project, including all phases of a multi-phase project, is allocated for public-art projects, the town's communications administrator, Misti Nowak, wrote in an email.
To find the locations of all the pieces, along with artist information and cost, go to www.orovalleyaz.gov/Assets/_assets/DIS/Planning/pdf/Public+Art+Inventory.pdf online.
The "Leaves Unfolding" statue in front of Oro Valley Public Library, one of the most well-known installations in the town, cost $27,000 in 2002. By comparison, "Sonora," the massive red sculpture in front of the Joel D. Valdez Library Downtown, cost $150,000 in 1991, according to Arizona Daily Star archives.
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