Output details

Public Art Strategies.

Each of these seven reports were commissioned by their clients through an open competetive tendering process, and awarded based on the researcher’s expertise in the field of public art commissioning. Collectively, these reports address a shared research question, namely how to integrate artistic quality into the context of major capital regeneration projects and broader demands to engage communities in the commissioning process.

The critical rigour in the research lies in the process by which the strategies were devised, debated and subsequently adopted. Framed by desktop research, the role of the author was to define commissioning themes and programmes of projects capable of securing client support and funding whilst also achieving artistically and conceptually credible artworks.

Each of the seven commissioned reports required unique aspects, for example the Science Central strategy rejected the ‘classic’ public art procurement route well established within government policy, instead outlining a research-orientated vision in which artists and scientists collaborate over an extended period. Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children required an innovative research methodology due to the age and significant physical or mental issues of the primary service users. Solutions included the commissioning of age-relevant illustrations within consultation documents and conducting specialist workshops using visual and tactile prompts. Likewise the commissioning for Roseberry Park hospital researched clinical issues related to mental health conditions (where certain materials, colours and characteristics can trigger unwelcome behaviours) and applied this research from fields including art therapy to the integration of permanent artworks into new build facilities.

Formal adoption of each strategy provides evidence for the robustness of the research, but the impact lies in the legacy of commissioning programmes that deliver the strategic aims and objectives. Over the life of the strategies it is estimated that c£4m of funding will deliver their aims and objectives.