What means the 1% on art?

Since 1951, the law establishes that the owners of public land must use 1% of their construction budget to command or acquire one or more major art pieces specially conceived for the building where they are to be placed 
In the beginning it was limited to the buildings of the Ministery of Education but was expanded, thus nowadays it is a must for most of statre and regional public constructions.

This instrument represents a political choice of sponsoring creation and creating awareness on arts. This 1% allows the encounter between an artist, a public sponsor, an architect and the public, in addition to the institutions dedicated to contemporary art.
 
For further information: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/dap/dap/unpourcent/