Managed by the Oklahoma Arts Council, the Oklahoma Art in Public Places program brings together state government agencies, artists, and local residents in the commissioning or acquisition of artwork that represents the history and values of the people of Oklahoma. The program was created to administer the Oklahoma Art in Public Places Act, which requires 1.5 percent of eligible state capital improvement budgets be invested in public art. The program advances state economic development goals and enhances public spaces for the benefit of residents.

Oklahoma's Capitol is unique among state capitol buildings for the amount of artwork adorning its hallways and rotunda and beautifying its grounds. Among the state-owned artworks managed by the Oklahoma Arts Council are the Capitol Art Collection and the State Art Collection.

The Capitol Art Collection is comprised of more than 100 permanent sculptures, murals, and paintings located throughout the Capitol's hallways and rotundas, and on the Capitol grounds. In addition to enriching a historic civic space, the collection provides visitors and students a unique and engaging way to learn about Oklahoma's history through the events, people and land depicted in the works.

A collection of works by notable Oklahoma artists, the State Art Collection was established in 1971 as a visual anthology of the history of artistic expression in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Arts Council manages and cultivates the collection by continuing to acquire donated works. Select works from the collection are exhibited in the Betty Price Gallery at the Oklahoma State Capitol. In 2006, state leaders approved the creation of the gallery in the Capitol to showcase the collection. The museum-quality space, which opened November 16, 2007, is the realization of the founding members' vision for a permanent facility for the remarkable collection.