Public Art is original works of temporary or permanent art designed and created by an artist or artist-led team that is placed in the public realm and visibly and/or physically accessible to all.
Public art lives in the public realm and it can take shape in many ways as longs as it remains free and accessible to the public. At its very best, public art brings community together in specific places and provides a nexus of community pride in celebration of the unique and enduring qualities specific to a certain place and its people.
Artwork can be inspiring, provocative, contemplative, engaging, fun, interactive, and functional. Public art should honor, uncover, amplify, and tell stories about the past; enrich, inform, and celebrate the present; and envision, activate, and innovate the future of a city, town, or region.
Public art occupies public places such as community centers, parks, streets, alley ways, trails, bus stops and transportation infrastructure, schools, as well as private developments that are accessible to the public for free. Some of the most successful public art is located in unexpected places where community members may be surprised and delighted by seeing and experiencing their city through the transformative eyes of art and culture. Most importantly, public art occupies the minds and hearts of the community it serves.
