Pittsburgh has a new guru to make sure art plays a prominent role in city neighborhoods and projects.

Morton Brown, 36, of Brighton Heights has been named the city's new public arts manager. He will be responsible for managing its public art collection and work with city departments to identify where public art can be utilized.

"Public art creates a sense of civic pride and identity," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said in a statement Friday. "It attracts attention to a city, and it connects artists with communities. One of the goals for this position is to foster and perpetuate this connection."

Brown started work Monday, replacing Kim Baker, who left to take a job in Washington. The position was created in 2007 with a grant from the Heinz Endowments, which covers the $54,810 annual salary.

Brown said he believes a public arts manager can benefit the city economically, socially and aesthetically.

"My position provides a government connection to support individual artists, neighborhood organizations, and private developers to all take part in improving Pittsburgh's built environment," he said.

One of the first projects in which Brown will participate is the "Sculpting Light on Stanwix" for the 11 Stanwix St. office building. Developer Rugby Realty Co., the Pittsburgh Glass Center and EDGE Studio have issued a national call for artists to design lighting for the building. Brown will serve on the artists' selection committee.

Brown will work on projects for the Zone 3 police station and the new arena Uptown, in addition to restoring and reinstalling five pieces of public art as part of a grant from The RK Mellon Foundation.

Brown, an Arkansas native, has bachelor's and master's degrees in fine arts from the University of Central Arkansas and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, respectively.

His work experience includes painting murals for homes, businesses, churches and public buildings. He was involved in an outdoor sculpture conservation project sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution.

Locally, he helped create and administer the Sprout Public Art Program and has worked as a public artist and an art consultant for the city's Department of Parks and Recreation.

Brown and his wife, Traci Weatherford-Brown, have a daughter, Lilly, and son, Harper.

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