A new mural is going up along North Cooper Street in Arlington, and it's just one piece of a much bigger citywide art push. The mural commemorates Arlington's 150th anniversary, and it's part of a wave of 16 new public art installations landing across the city throughout 2026.
Once all 16 pieces are in place, Arlington will have more than 35 official public art pieces in its collection, according to a City of Arlington, TX City Hall Facebook post. The city's public art is paid for through donations or the Hotel Occupancy Tax, the post notes — not general property tax revenue. Beyond the North Cooper Street mural, three more 150th anniversary murals funded by the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation are going up along Lamar Street, Fielder Street, and North Cooper Street between August and November, according to the City of Arlington.
A Sundial and a Giant Golden Boot
The sesquicentennial's flagship piece is “Touched by Time,” a layered cylindrical glass sculpture with an interactive sundial designed by UT Arlington associate professor Justin Ginsberg. The city commissioned the work as a landmark piece for Founders Plaza Park in Downtown Arlington's Cultural District, the city said in an announcement about the council's approval of the project.
Arlington's art expansion is also riding the momentum of North Texas hosting FIFA World Cup matches this year. An 18-foot, 2,200-pound sculpture called “Texan Golden Boot,” which fuses a soccer cleat with a Texas spur, was installed at Stadium Drive and Cowboys Way in May as a permanent World Cup legacy landmark, according to CultureMap Fort Worth. The piece was created by Nigerian sculptor Steve Ekpenisi in partnership with World Cup organizers, the outlet reported.
Where the Money Comes From
Much of the funding behind the sesquicentennial pieces traces back to the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation, which approved an $890,000 grant in March to support the city's 150th anniversary celebration — covering public art, museum exhibits, and community historical projects. The foundation was created by the Arlington City Council in 2007, funded by revenues from natural gas lease payments and royalties, meaning it underwrites municipal art grants without tapping local tax dollars.
The rest of the funding structure runs through the Hotel Occupancy Tax, a mechanism defined under Texas Tax Code Chapter 351. Texas cities can levy a municipal hotel tax of up to 7%, but state law restricts how that money can be spent — it must directly promote tourism and the convention and hotel industry, which includes public art and historic preservation, according to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. That legal framework explains why visitor taxes, rather than property taxes, are footing much of the bill for Arlington's new sculptures and murals.
More Pieces Already on the Ground
Several installations funded through the hotel tax have already gone up this year. “Heartfulness,” a large metal heart sculpture, was dedicated in February along the Entertainment District Sculpture Trail at Dr. Robert Cluck Linear Park. And in May, two community-focused murals titled “The Path We Share,” depicting local residents, were installed beneath the Ken Brimer Bridge at Richard Greene Linear Park — both funded with Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues.
The push also comes alongside an administrative shift at City Hall: the municipal department overseeing these projects was formally renamed the Parks, Recreation & Culture Department this year, expanding its institutional focus on arts and culture across public spaces. The renaming reflects a broader citywide effort to elevate local arts programming as Arlington marks its founding.
That founding dates back to July 19, 1876, when Texas and Pacific Railroad Engine No. 20 arrived following a survey led by Rev. A.S. Hayter that established the original settlement. Arlington's public art boom follows other recent additions to the city's cultural landscape, including the Rotary Dream Park art installations tied to the parks department's own centennial celebrations.
