Public Art at City Hall and Market Square

After many years of service, major updates and repairs are needed throughout Alexandria's City Hall. Public art will be incorporated into the redesigned spaces—enriching the site’s identity and fostering a deeper connection between residents and their civic spaces.
Page updated on Sep 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
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Overview

The City of Alexandria’s City Hall, built in 1871, is a cherished landmark and a hub of civic activity, serving as both a workplace for over 300 City employees and a gathering space for the community. After decades of use, the building and its surrounding spaces require major updates to ensure they remain functional, welcoming, and accessible for future generations.

This comprehensive redesign will address aging infrastructure, improve HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems, optimize workspace layouts, enhance security and wayfinding, and facilitate greater community engagement. Additionally, the Market Square Plaza and Garage—which require significant structural repairs—will be reimagined to enhance their function and integration with City Hall.

As part of this transformation, public art will be incorporated into the redesigned spaces, enriching the site’s identity and fostering a deeper connection between residents and their civic spaces. The public art commission will be managed by the City of Alexandria's Public Art Program in accordance with the Public Art Implementation Plan. In accordance with City's approved process, the project started with the creation of a Public Art Task Force that will explore the goals and opportunities for the project.

The public art project has been initiated. In February 2025, the Public Art Task Force members were appointed by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. In June 2025, the Commission approved the Public Art Project Plan.

 

Community Engagement & Input

To ensure the City's renovation project reflects the needs and vision of the Alexandria community, the City has actively sought public input through surveys and community meetings, inviting residents to help shape the future of City Hall and its surrounding public spaces.

See a list of past community engagement events for the City Hall Renovation Project here. 

About Us

Public Art in Alexandria

Public art is permanent or temporary works of art that have been planned in collaboration with the community and executed by artists with the specific intention of existing in the public realm, accessible to all.

Office of the Arts

The Office of The Arts promotes the value of arts and culture in Alexandria by nurturing, investing in and celebrating the creative contributions of artists and arts organizations. Through engaging the community, encouraging participation, and facilitating access to the arts, the Office of the Arts works with local artists and arts organizations to build a vibrant community for all of the City's residents, workers, and visitors.