Public Art Planning in Creative Districts

Creative District Resources

Public art contributes to a community's identity, fosters community pride and sense of belonging, and enhances the quality of life for its residents and visitors. As you embark on your public art journey, you'll need to address some logistical - and community- based topics. Here are some to get you started, along with some mural samples from other communities with budget comparisons. (Murals are only one type of public art, and still have a variety of budgets, lifespans, community engagement potential and contextual intrigue!) Your conversation, and where that leads you and your artwork, will be unique to your community. The Public Art Budget template found on our website may also help you determine your project budget.

######## Public Art Impact, Community Need

- • about your community story or the story/identity your community wants to embody • about your community story or the story/identity your community wants to embody
- • can you build social capital and diversify cross-sector networks? • can you build social capital and diversify cross-sector networks?
- • do you envision this adding to the vitality of your community and economy? • do you envision this adding to the vitality of your community and economy?

######## Selection Process

- • you using an equitable artist selection process? • you using an equitable artist selection process?
- o all eligible artists able to access the process? o all eligible artists able to access the process?
- o are the organizers doing to ensure equitable decisions? o are the organizers doing to ensure equitable decisions?
- o you paying artists for their time to help determine concept and design? o you paying artists for their time to help determine concept and design?
- • is involved in key decisions? (and who isn't involved that could be?) • is involved in key decisions? (and who isn't involved that could be?)
- o about the selection of: Artist(s), Site(s), and Theme/Impact/Concept. o about the selection of: Artist(s), Site(s), and Theme/Impact/Concept.
- • much community interaction is part of the selection, creation, or performance process? • much community interaction is part of the selection, creation, or performance process?
- • your Contracts address artist and community rights and protections? • your Contracts address artist and community rights and protections?

######## Budget Considerations

- • Preparation before artwork installation (electricity, concrete base, water, equipment - like a • Preparation before artwork installation (electricity, concrete base, water, equipment - like a crane, permission to use site or to close sidewalk/alley/road, etc.)
- • of artists creating designs and amount for honorarium • of artists creating designs and amount for honorarium
- • travel to work with your community and create the work • travel to work with your community and create the work
- • expense considerations for the artist/artwork • expense considerations for the artist/artwork
- • fee for the whole process of creating the work and working with your community • fee for the whole process of creating the work and working with your community
- • maintenance considerations • maintenance considerations
- • photography, and marketing • photography, and marketing
- • events • events

######## Outside-the-Box Ruminations

- • Public art project can include interactive or temporary experiences led by a creative. • Public art project can include interactive or temporary experiences led by a creative.
- o and develops more relationships o and develops more relationships
- o lead to a long-term project that has more impact and intentionality. o lead to a long-term project that has more impact and intentionality.
- • big, Start small! Start with several small projects (may be interactive, temporary, event • big, Start small! Start with several small projects (may be interactive, temporary, event based) that lead up to a bigger culminating project (maybe permanent work, or annual event).
- • may change along the way, trust the process and be open to new ideas or change. • may change along the way, trust the process and be open to new ideas or change.
- • ways to collaborate across sectors and ways to share resources or ideas . • ways to collaborate across sectors and ways to share resources or ideas .