Perspectives – Public development

As part of our series offering senior arts professionals the opportunity to reflect on the current state of the arts sector, David Wright charts a change in peoples attitudes towards public art.

Opinion of public art has improved considerably since the early 1980s, when I first worked as the Director of a trust in Milton Keynes that provided public art commissioning advice to the corporation leading the development of the new city. At the time, public art was a marginal interest favoured by development corporations and some enlightened metropolitan authorities. It has now become an integral part of many development schemes of varying sizes, but remains a hotly debated topic.

In the 1980s, there was often a distinction between artists who made public art and artists who sold in galleries, and as a result, clients  developers, local councils, architects, etc.  had strong ideas about what public art should be and do. Public art works were created by a coterie of a few artists  often men  and were usually monumental and permanent. Although those works had value, we felt that in order to engage the public with the work, then other ways of working  such as integrating public art into buildings and the landscape  could and should be considered. We worked to make sure that this happened in some of the citys landscape developments and later in public buildings.

Finance

Funding for public art schemes today is usually secured through partnerships, collaborations, public bodies and private developers. This hasnt always been the case  Milton Keynes initiated the first Percent for Art scheme in this country. This was the first time that a development corporation funded public art in this way, and this has now become commonplace through local authority planning regulations.

By the beginning of the 1990s, through these types of projects, public opinion about what public art could or might be was shifting, and I was invited by Eastern Arts Board to address the issue of public realm works in the East of England. Other regions had already set up agencies, and the experience of these agencies was an important factor in establishing a new model for a commissioning body for the East of England: Commissions East.

We felt that if we were going to change opinion about what public art could be or do, we needed to go to the very heart of the issue  the artist. At the time there were artists who made works for the gallery and those that made works for outside the gallery  the fluid movement between saleable and non-commercial, public and private that is prevalent today was virtually unknown.

Positive responses

This desire led to the setting-up of an advisory and support service for artists. This provided help and advice to those who had a desire to work in this area. Arts Council England, East has expanded that idea with its Escalator scheme, which helps artists to develop their public profile and practices, encouraging them to take new opportunities.

Todays public feeling towards art in the public realm is generally positive, optimistic and acknowledging of its value. Arts Council, London is setting up a new public art advocacy agency called Art in the Open. Developers and local authorities involved in major regeneration schemes like the Thames and Haven Gateways include public art almost as a matter of course, recognising the appeal of good quality, interesting works. Public art is frequently discussed in the media and, as for the acceptance of work in the public realm, it seems that if there is good consultation at an early stage, its possible to generate a positive reception.

These days, artists are often engaged as a key part of a design team  at the outset, sometimes even before the architect. This means that theres dialogue and discussion with an artist right from the start, and that the process becomes as important as the result  if, indeed, an object is created at all. Increasingly, artists work closely with the people who live in areas targeted for public art, creating walking tours, such as Art U Needs work on Canvey Island (pictured below) events and activities that encourage them to use these often neglected places, rather than placing monumental works in outdoor space. This blurring of boundaries between public art and community art is sure to continue  with developers and authorities realising that its important not just to help improve buildings but also communities.

As for the future, the danger that comes with all this excitement about public art is that we could end up with a raft of second-rate works  developers begin to think that anyone can do public art rather than engaging the artist from the start and creating works that really fit the context. With current discussion about the massive regeneration scheme that is the London 2012 Olympics, itll be interesting to see what provision is made for public art and whether artists will be allowed to make a difference.

David Wright is Director of Commissions East
t: 01223 356882
w: http://www.commissionseast.org

David Wright

1984-1991
After studying for a degree in History of Art at Oxford Polytechnic, I worked in a private gallery in London where I quickly realised that my interest lay in public engagement with art in a meaningful way rather than in the commercial aspects of the business. I moved on to become Director of City Gallery Arts Trust in Milton Keynes. I was involved in the development of numerous commissions for both public and private sectors in the East Midlands and the new city of Milton Keynes. Whilst working at the Arts Trust, I also undertook a number of projects within hospitals, working with artists to encourage discussion amongst staff and patients about how art can improve their environment.

1992-present
Following a year-long research and feasibility study into the development of public art in the Eastern Region for Eastern Arts Board, I became Director of Commissions East. Between 1992 and 2006 Commissions East has undertaken numerous projects both within the East of England and elsewhere. These have included temporary and permanent commissions, the provision of policy advice to a wide range of public and private organisations, residency and fellowship programmes and the creation of a professional development programme for artists. Our aim is to continuously challenge what art in the public realm can or might be.

Additionally, I was a founder member of Public Art Forum (the National Association for Public Art) and a member of the Executive (1983-91); a member of Southern Arts Visual Arts Panel (1990-92); an adviser to Buckinghamshire Arts Association, Milton Keynes Arts Association and Milton Keynes Foundation; and a Trustee of the Chiltern Sculpture Park (1989-91), Milton Keynes Community Workshop Trust (1983-89), and Shape East (2003-06). I am also a founder Trustee of the Hosking Trust, which supports fellowships for women artists.