The International Award for Public Art (IAPA) was the collaborative initiative of the two magazines Public Art (China) and Public Art Review (USA). The first Award was hosted by The Fine Arts College of Shanghai University, which organised an Award Ceremony in Shanghai in April 2013, on the occasion of a Public Art Forum which attracted delegates from around the world.  

The second Award has already been researched and the jury process is complete. The Award Ceremony will be held in Auckland at the end of June 2015, hosted by ELAM at the University of Auckland in partnership with Shandong University Academy of Art. The Award Ceremony will again take place in the context of an international conference on the subject of Public Art.

The Award, and the associated conferences, are overseen by the Institute for Public Art, whose mission is to research public art practice world-wide; to establish and maintain a network of people concerned for public art; and to advocate good practice in public art to developers and civic decision makers.