Philly Needs to “Take Better Care” of Its Art: Report

A city official says Philadelphia needs to keep better track of its public artwork.
 
Controller Alan Butkovitz says a random sample of 25 pieces found that half were either damaged, vandalized, could not be located or had other inventory problems.
 
A spokeswoman for the city's arts office did not immediately return a request for comment.
 
Philadelphia cares for more than 1,000 paintings, murals and sculptures. Some pieces were created through a municipal art program, while others were donated.
 
The controller's audit released Wednesday found graffiti on sculptures, holes drilled in a watercolor painting and tiles missing from a mosaic mural.
 
The report also indicates that arts officials have not conducted periodic inspections of the collection in more than a decade.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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