Public Art + Place Making

Contemporary artists' work in the public realm incorporates a range of approaches from conventional permanent public sculpture and interventions in the fabric of buildings to performances, publications and process based community projects that develop ownership of change and enable consultation.

Current thinking around creating quality in the built environment offers opportunities for organisations such as the regional Architecture Centres to play a role in professional development and advocacy around artists’ work in the public realm in relation to the quality urban design and place-making agendas.Local authority officers are a key element in delivery of arts and culture in the public realm. Many arts development officers identify a need for higher level advocacy on arts and culture in the public realm within their local authorities, particularly in areas such as planning, development control, transport and highways. Developers can also benefit from an increased understanding of the role and value of artists and there are advantages if this learning is being driven by an organization with an established reputation in the built environment sector.

Our aims are to:

• Work with local authority arts officers, artists, architects and developers to advocate for the value of art in the built environment and the role of artists in quality urban design and place-making.
• Liaise the other regional ABECs to pursue a consistent approach to support for public art development and advocacy across the south of England.
• Collaborate across the regions with other organizations on projects for development and delivery of artists professional development to equip them with the skills and knowledge to pursue opportunities in the public realm and raise the quality of public art
• Work in partnership with Higher Education to develop research around impact and advocacy in relation to artists and the built environment.

SCA+D has extensive experience of working with local authorities, architects and developers to advocate the importance of quality in urban design and we plan to bring this expertise to bear on advocacy and development around arts and culture in the public realm as a natural development of our work.

This area of our work is very much in development so if you have any ideas for projects or proposals for partnership working please contact phil@solentcentre.org.uk