Penny Balkin Bach, Executive Director of Philadelphia’s Association for Public Art, is the 2013 recipient of the national Public Art Dialogue (PAD) Award in recognition of her longstanding and continuing contributions to the field of public art. PAD is an affiliate of the College Art Association (CAA). Its membership includes art historians, artists, curators, administrators, educators, architects, landscape architects, and others engaged with the wide arc that public art encompasses. Their goal is to provide platforms for dialogue among public art professionals and students across disciplines. Awardees are chosen from nominations made by PAD members.
The PAD award for achievement in the field of public art is given annually to an individual whose contributions have greatly influenced public art practice. Established in 2009, the award has been presented to artist and educator Suzanne Lacy; curator, critic, and educator Mary Jane Jacob; Anne Pasternak, President and Artistic Director of Creative Time; and media artist Ben Rubin.