Public Art and Placemaking: Opportunities, Benefits and Critical Success Factors
Jo Breckon, Co-Director of Studio Response
Studio Response is an award-winning practice that commissions art in the public realm. We work with artists, designers, makers, architects and communities to creatively respond to the people, place, culture, heritage and the environment for the betterment of our neighbourhoods, towns and cities. We invite creatives to make new works, with the people at the centre of how their ideas unfold, whether resulting in permanent or temporary artworks, socially engaged projects or integrated architectural designs.
Commissioning public art has always been about placemaking. It is people focused and site-responsive and many of the best practice principles applied to its commissioning align with those of placemaking: community involvement, collaborative working across disciplines, investing in process as much as tangible outcomes and supporting a collective vision.
What are the opportunities?
Working with artists, designers and makers (hereafter referred to as artists) through public art projects can make a significant contribution to the creation of vibrant, connected and liveable neighbourhoods. However, to capitalise on its potential, perceptions around what public art can be need to be recalibrated.
To consider public art solely as the siting of standalone sculptural artworks in the built environment is both outdated and limiting in terms of what can be achieved and how public art can be value-adding. Public art is more than just a visual amenity, it democratises our neighbourhoods and places value on public open spaces.
Rooted in community conversations and observations, public art reveals histories and heritage of place, enhances our built environment and contributes to shaping socially and environmentally sustainable places. Properly resourced artist-led commissions can also deliver on functional requirements such as play areas, wayfinding and public nature gardens.
Equally valid is artists working with communities in a durational way, in which the focus is on the process of creative engagement, rather than any physical outcome. Here the added value is the manner in which public art can encourage active citizenship by providing a mechanism that empowers communities and stakeholders to shape the environment around them.
Case Study – Playgrounds for The Parish @ Llanilltern Village, for Persimmon Homes
Amanda Spence, Situated Studio + Rhian Thomas, Analog Architecture
Studio Response was appointed by Persimmon Homes to devise the public art programme for its residential development, The Parish @ Llanilltern Village. Following approval of its Public Art Strategy, Studio Response commissioned Situated Studio and Analog Architecture to design three playgrounds.
Each playground is designed in response to analysis of the landscape context:
- An Enchanted Forest-themed LEAP references nearby ancient woodland;
- Historic quarrying informed the Earthscape NEAP; and
- The proximity of SuDS inspired the Rainscape playground – a fun place to play in the rain.
However, the concepts are not interpreted literally – abstracted themes allow for imaginative, non-prescriptive play experiences.
Creative engagement activities involved local children and gave a sense of ownership: Tree-planting at the Enchanted Forest; and making ‘clayscape’ tiles to inform ideas for the Rainscape and Earthscape designs. A SuDS toolkit containing fun activities to explore rain and topography provides a legacy for future engagement and education.
What are the benefits?
Public art connects people to place and to each other. When artists engage with communities during the creative process it fosters a sense of ownership and pride in both the artwork and the overall development.
There is also evidence that cultural participation contributes to building social relationships and community cohesion by reducing social exclusion and/or making communities feel safer and stronger[1].
And of course, in considering public art as a key facet of well-designed spaces, its contribution to both developing a sense of place and identity shouldn’t be underestimated.
What are the critical success factors?
It is important to invest in people and process, and to be trusting of both. Add to the mix sufficient resources, both time and financial investment.
The engagement of public art professionals is vital. Their expertise is critical in scoping opportunities, identifying artists, applying best practice principles to the commission process and in supporting artists so that they can focus on their creative practice. Of course, it should go without saying that a professional artist is non-negotiable.
Both public art professionals and artists need to be engaged at the earliest possible opportunity, not to expedite the design process but to allow time to develop a strategic, collective vision, build community connections and for creative practice. This also ensures that the outcomes are meaningful and integrated rather than being “off the shelf” solutions dropped into a site at the last minute.
Finally, the process needs to be supported consistently and coherently by the planning system. For example, the use of workable conditions that carefully consider the parameters placed upon timescales for implementation, and an approach to planning that has teeth in preventing poor practice and under investment.
Public art can’t be tasked with addressing all of the issues relating to community satisfaction and cohesion in new developments, but given time, resources and the right approach it can certainly make a positive difference that aligns with overall placemaking principles.
[1] The Value of Arts and Culture to People and Society, Arts Council England. 2014. P33
Image Credits: Amanda Spence, Situated Studio + Rhian Thomas, Analog Architecture