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In the past few decades there has been a vast expansion of public art activity driven by Lottery funding and continued through regeneration practice and urban design. Stephanie Fuller believes it is now time to ask just who is responsible for the many banal and unremarkable examples of public art spreading across our landscape.

Public art, especially public sculpture has become embedded in urban renaissance rhetoric. It is often cited as a contributor to a good urban environment, not least in urban planning guidance by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). But what is this leading to? In the absence of accompanying guidance on how to do it, all sorts of individuals and organisations with varying degrees of expertise are leaping into the fray. In the built environment sector, where professional boundaries can be hotly defended and specialist expertise valued, public art management seems to be considered something anyone can turn their hand to. In some cases, where the individuals concerned are flexible, sensitive to context and find appropriate artists, the outcomes are successful. However, on many or even most occasions, the work produced is pedestrian and lacking real engagement with mainstream visual arts practice and the recipient audience.

Amateur approach

Even where experienced and professional artists are engaged, the procurement methods coupled with a desire not to offend the public can restrict their endeavours to the most mundane level. Since no-one with the authority to make decisions would be likely to entrust their town planning to an amateur urban designer, one wonders why they are prepared to engage with the highly specialised field of visual arts practice in such an ad hoc way? Sadly such poor practice can lead the whole sector into disrepute. There must be stronger advocacy from those involved in commissioning art within the public realm for professional conduct and good practice.

Architects often demonstrate a lack of respect for artists and their ignorance of good practice in the visual arts can create difficulties. Outstanding examples of collaboration like the Royal Court Theatre where artist Antoni Malinowski worked with architect Steve Tompkins, or Folkestone Library where Chris Ofili contributed to David Adjaye’s design, highlight the shortcomings of many other projects. Shotgun marriages where artists and architects are put together and then expected to develop a collaborative relationship are a risky proposition. Careful preparation and willing participants are the essential foundation for such a course of action. On the other hand there are architects who are advocates for working with artists, such as Ella Pope of Hunter & Partners who worked with Vanessa Dell on Pound Hill First School in Crawley, and whose enthusiasm and commitment was key to the success of the project.

Art professionals

Government departments other than the Department for Culture, Media and Sport who campaign for art within the public realm would be well advised to note that there are many sources of freely available advice ranging from the arts funding system to the many public art agencies around the country and numerous Internet-based resources. There are also a large number of highly professional and experienced public art project managers and artist project managers who have the knowledge and experience required to deliver projects which meet all the objectives while retaining their artistic integrity and capacity for innovation and transformation.

However, there is a need for more professionalisation within the field, just as there is a need for potential clients to recognise the requirement to pay for expert advice. There is more work to be done than there are experienced arts professionals to do it; and there is a real need for lead artists who have the capacity and ability to take on a project development and management role, rather than simply being ambitious to take over large projects. There are, of course, many excellent examples of artists who work well in this way but there are too few of them. It is very challenging for many artists to move on from success in smaller scale jobs to being able to take on larger commissions. It is also worth recognising that not all artists want this role, or are competent to do it. It is no more realistic to expect all artists to be good project managers than it is to expect them all to embrace digital media. Artists are a diverse group, which is a strength of the sector, but there is a danger that in order to get work individuals take on projects they are ill-equipped to deliver, which can bring this area of practice into disrepute. There is a great need for professional development and training to address this skills deficit, and the possibilities for developing training and mentoring schemes as part of existing projects must be exploited to enable the next generation of managers and lead artists to come through.

Horses for courses

Public art is a process, not an artform. It is not the same as gallery-based practice and has separate concerns and requirements. Some unsuccessful projects have been taken forward by gallery-based practitioners who didn’t have a good understanding of either the practical problems (planning law, health and safety, etc) or the need for public engagement. We need to talk amongst ourselves in the visual arts sector to share knowledge and information, and put aside the territoriality which can damage this process.

The Government could be playing its part in developing endeavour in this area with a commitment to support Percent For Art with legislation. Percent for Art is a process whereby a proportion of the capital cost of a building project is put aside for art. This would make it part of the planning process and would help local authorities to take action to deliver on the built environment agenda. Percent for Art has been supported by the Arts Council since 1988 but without legislative teeth to back it up, implementation is patchy. Arts Council England, South East is currently in discussion with Artpoint, the regional public art agency and Public Art Forum, the national body for public art, about a research project which would examine case law and planning practice in this area and establish a more informed context for future lobbying and development.

Developing quality

In an attempt to address some of these issues of good practice and skills development, Arts Council England, South East has worked in partnership with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to set up a new scheme. Awards for Art in Public Places is designed to work with both organisations and individual practitioners. It will help artists in the early stages of their careers by promoting them to potential commissioners, allowing artists to show what they can do when given a free rein to imagine. New partnerships will be created between artists and a variety of organisations, not just local authorities but environmental groups, community organisations and many others. Education is a key part of the scheme, and all organisational proposals have to include an educational aspect – either through partnership with an education provider such as an HE or FE college, or via mentoring schemes. All applicants will be supported by a specialist project management team, which will facilitate the development of quality projects.

In summary, to quote muf, a leading practice in this area, “If you always do what you’ve always done - the future will look a lot like the past”. It is incumbent on all of us to push for better practice, to enable skills development and to refuse to accept the second rate when so much more can be achieved.


Stephanie Fuller is Public Art and Architecture Officer for Arts Council England, South East. t: 0845 300 6200; e: stephanie.fuller@artscouncil.org.uk
For information on the Awards for Art in Public Places scheme, and for copies of a new publication ‘Public Art in the South East’,
t: 0845 300 6200; e: pase@artscouncil.org.uk