--- title: Scottsdale's Public Art description: Scottsdale works hard to promote its artistic culture. The Scottsdale Public Art Program in particular does a fantastic job of promoting art in the community. They are succeeding at their goal of making the city a desirable place to live in, work in, and visit! Art and design is incorporated throughout the city in innovate and interesting ways. Here is a small guide to seeing Scottsdale's amazing public art!  image: https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.16.58%20PM.png --- [![visitingscottsdale-stacked](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/visitingscottsdale-stacked.png?width=475&name=visitingscottsdale-stacked.png "visitingscottsdale-stacked")](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/) [![visitingscottsdale-stacked](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/visitingscottsdale-stacked.png?width=475&name=visitingscottsdale-stacked.png "visitingscottsdale-stacked")](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/) [**](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/scottsdales-public-art#) 1 ![featured image 1](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.16.58%20PM.png) Free # Scottsdale's Public Art ![](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hubfs/BEAADA8B-EAB9-41DB-B81E-479BD788DF9F.jpg) By [Bailee Wilson](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/author/bailee-wilson) September 27, 2021 ### Posts by Topic - [Activities (114)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/activities) - [Amusement (110)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/amusement) - [Events (96)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/events) - [Shopping and Dining (68)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/shopping-and-dining) - [Around Town (62)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/around-town) - [Family (52)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/family) - [Holiday (50)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/holiday) - [Date Night (24)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/date-night) - [Outdoor (24)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/outdoor) - [Summer (24)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/summer) - [Winter (21)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/winter) - [News (16)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/news) - [Tips and Tricks (14)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/tips-and-tricks) - [Nightlife (12)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/nightlife) - [Music (11)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/music) - [Free (9)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/free) - [History (8)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/history) - [Fitness (4)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/fitness) - [Golf (2)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/golf) - [Food (1)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/food) - [Off-Season (1)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/off-season) - [Pets (1)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/pets) - [Ranch (1)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/ranch) - [Scottsdale (1)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/scottsdale) - [Wildlife (1)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/wildlife) Search Scottsdale works hard to promote its artistic culture. [The Scottsdale Public Art Program](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/) in particular does a fantastic job of promoting art in the community. They are succeeding at their goal of making the city a desirable place to live in, work in, and visit! Art and design is incorporated throughout the city in innovate and interesting ways. Here is a small guide to seeing Scottsdale's amazing public art!  Art is everywhere in Scottsdale. You can see that quite clearly when you drive through the city- or when you look at the art map on the public art program website (screenshot provided below).  ![Screen Shot 2021-09-27 at 3.43.01 PM](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%203.43.01%20PM.png?width=1173&name=Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%203.43.01%20PM.png) Picture from [https://scottsdalepublicart.org](https://scottsdalepublicart.org)/ The public art on display is incredibly diverse. Displays feature everything from [rug runner and wallpaper tapestry](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/rug-runner-and-wallpaper-tapestry/) to [creative murals](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/mountain-view-community-center-mural/) to sculptures of [birds reading books](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/birdie-umwelt/). A lot of the art draws inspiration from the landscape. There is plenty of cacti art (for example, [Garden of Evidence](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/garden-of-evidence/) at the Scottsdale District 1 Police Station or [Cactus Mirage](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/cactus-mirage/) at McDowell Mountain Ranch Park and Aquatics Center) as well as pieces inspired by local animal species (see [Hummingbird Sanctuary](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/hummingbird-sanctuary/) on Drinkwater Boulevard or [One-Eyed Jack](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/one-eyed-jack/) in Old Town Scottsdale's Arts District).  ![Screen Shot 2021-09-27 at 4.14.13 PM](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.14.13%20PM.png?width=1067&name=Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.14.13%20PM.png) One-Eyed Jack. Picture from [https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/one-eyed-jack/](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/one-eyed-jack/) There are plenty of realistic statues around town if you prefer art that more closely imitates life. For instance, there's [Michael's Dream,](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/michaels-dream/) which is a touching model of a father wishing for a cure for his daughter's cystic fibrosis; [To Serve and Protect](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/to-serve-and-protect/), which portrays a police officer protecting a young girl; and [Vintage](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/vintage/), which is a life-sized replication of a nude woman. ![Screen Shot 2021-09-27 at 4.15.10 PM](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.15.10%20PM.png?width=1106&name=Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.15.10%20PM.png) Michael's Dream. Picture from [https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/michaels-dream/](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/michaels-dream/)  There are also horses all over the city! Fans of classic literature will love the abstract sculpture of [Don Quixote on his horse](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/don-quixote/). Fans of cowboys and the Wild West will love [Passing the Legacy](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/passing-the-legacy/), which pays tribute to the historic Pony Express, and [Jack Knife](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/jack-knife/), which shows a rider atop a bucking horse. There's also a [bronze horse fountain](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/bronze-horse-fountain/) and a fascinating [plywood sculpture of a horse](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/horse/).  ![Screen Shot 2021-09-27 at 4.13.36 PM](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.13.36%20PM.png?width=1132&name=Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.13.36%20PM.png) Jack Knife. Picture from [https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/jack-knife/](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/jack-knife/)  Perhaps one of the most famous public art pieces is the iconic [Water Mark.  ](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/water-mark/)Water Mark is on the Indian Bend Wash and Scottsdale’s innovative flood control greenbelt. It is a roadside landmark on the north and an earthwork on the south. It is both beautiful and functional. ![Screen Shot 2021-09-27 at 4.09.53 PM](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.09.53%20PM.png?width=1154&name=Screen%20Shot%202021-09-27%20at%204.09.53%20PM.png) Water Mark. Picture from [https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/water-mark/](https://scottsdalepublicart.org/work/water-mark/)  Here is a video of Water Mark in action during a rain storm:   These are just a few of the dozens of amazing public art pieces scattered throughout Scottsdale. What is your favorite local piece of art? Share it with us in the comments! ### POPULAR POSTS ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Activities (114)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/activities) - [Amusement (110)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/amusement) - [Events (96)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/events) - [Shopping and Dining (68)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/shopping-and-dining) - [Around Town (62)](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/tag/around-town) ![visitingscottsdale-footer](https://www.visitingscottsdale.com/hs-fs/hubfs/visitingscottsdale-footer.jpg?width=1920&name=visitingscottsdale-footer.jpg "visitingscottsdale-footer") Contact Us [800-678-9999](tel:800-678-9999)   SIGN UP FOR UPDATES Copyright © 2018 Resortia LLC [Privacy Policy](https://www.hiltonhead.me/privacy)