Twelve years in, Toni Sikes shows no signs of slowing down. As founder and CEO of CODAworx—the leading platform for the public art industry—she has shepherded the ecosystem from ‘90s print directories to a global digital network representing over $13 billion in projects. For Independence Day 2026, CODAworx teamed with NOT REAL ART and nonprofit Arterial to launch 250: A Celebration of Public Art in the U.S.—an ambitious online exhibition featuring one artwork from each state, plus Puerto Rico and DC. Curated by NOT REAL ART’s Kirsten Bengtson-Lykoudis and powered by CODAworx’s extensive artist network, 250 is already live online and will remain available for all to explore indefinitely.
How did this partnership come together? Toni and NOT REAL ART/Arterial founder Scott “Sourdough” Power unpack the vision behind 250, swap stories from the front lines of public art, and make the case for why murals, installations, festivals, and even giant flamingos belong at the heart of the American experience.
Episode Highlights with Toni Sikes
- How 250 Came to Be: Bringing together 52 public artworks—one from each state, plus Puerto Rico and DC—for America’s semiquincentennial, and the ambitious curation behind it. [43:06]
- CODAworx’s economic impact report quantifies public art as a multi-billion-dollar force, giving artists and cities sharper tools to argue for investment [22:24], [37:36].
- The “magic” that happens at Coda Summit, where a chat in the buffet line can lead to major commissions and transformative projects [15:34].
- How CODAworx went global after its very first Coda Awards, with winning projects from China to Memphis [12:25].
- Why the public art explosion is tied to the rise of immersive experiences, temporary festivals, and new business models [35:24].
- How powerful, unfiltered art helps people gather, wonder, and connect [38:53].
- The importance of giving artists the platform and trust to fuel economic, social, and creative success [20:57].
Quoteables
- “[The 250 exhibition has] all of these great pieces of public art that are so different, and they’re in so many different places, commissioned by so many different kinds of organizations and cities.” — Toni Sikes [46:12]
- “When you understand your economic power…the power that you have to drive economic development as an artist, you don’t have to be shy…You can go in with confidence to negotiate your worth and a budget for your project because they need you as much as you need them.” — Scott “Sourdough” Power [30:06]
- “It’s not so much about the particular piece of artwork…but what happened as a result of what we do. That’s the impact…It’s all about the impact you have.” — Toni Sikes [16:46]
Mentions & Shoutouts
- 250: A Celebration of Public Art in the U.S.: 52 works—one from each state, plus Puerto Rico and DC—curated by NOT REAL ART and powered by CODAworx and Arterial. The exhibition is now live online and will remain available indefinitely. [42:24]
- CODAworx: Premier public art platform, database, and connection engine.
- Coda Awards & Coda Summit: Annual awards and conference connecting artists, fabricators, engineers, and commissioners [11:14].
- The “I Was Here” Project: Marjorie Guyon’s powerful Kentucky-based project spotlighting African American history, sparked by a CODAworx connection [17:18].
- Meow Wolf: The immersive arts juggernaut redefining public art experiences (and soon coming to LA) [37:03].
Where to Connect & Experience
- See the 250 exhibition: Explore all 52 works online.
- Check out CODAworx: Hunt for public art opportunities, browse projects in your city, and learn more about Coda Summit and the Coda Awards.
- Follow Toni Sikes and CODAworx for updates on public art trends, open calls, and the latest industry research.
Episode Credits
- Host: Scott ‘Sourdough’ Power
- Guest: Toni Sikes, CEO and founder of CODAworx; champion for large-scale art and the transformative economic power of public art.
- Production: Crewest Studio, Los Angeles
- Theme Music: Ricky Peugeot & Desi DeLauro of Parlor Social
- Stay in the loop: Subscribe to NOT REAL ART for future episodes, follow us on Instagram, and tag your favorite public art using #FirstFridays250.
Photo Gallery
Scroll through to see a selection of projects from 250: A Celebration of Public Art in the U.S.
All images published with permission of CODAworx.