PUBLIC ART POLICY PROJECT

Best practices research findings

About the findings

Concordia’s Public Art Lead interviewed a range of expert stakeholders regarding best practices on the following public art policy related topics:

The Best Practices findings reflect the answers to a series of questions provided by thirty-six informants.

Prepared by Communications MDR

An aspirational definition of public art emerged. Public art should:

be accessible to the public, represent public interests, engage the public and include both traditional and ephemeral artworks
consider and engage with notions of place and critical histories
include Indigenous works that enhance Indigenous visibility and address colonial legacies
include artists from underrepresented communities who create new artworks and participate in the public art program
Include communities who are involved in and engage in public art projects

The information provided in the bullet points for each of the topics below is not prioritized in order of importance.

The mission and vision for public art should:

Align with the institutional mission, vision and strategic priorities
Align with institutional values, such as inclusiveness, diversity, creativity and sustainability
Intersect with pedagogy
Support and promote Indigenous peoples
Engage underrepresented communities
Engage the wider community
Enhance quality of life

The governance and administration of the public art collection should include:

A Public Art Advisory Committee to govern Concordia’s Public Art Policy and Strategy with equitable representation from racialized, Indigenous and other underrepresented groups
A plan for the acquisition and de-accession of public artworks
A Curatorial Committee, with equitable representation, to govern acquisitions and de-accessions with publicly accessible selection criteria and processes
A diversity audit of the existing public art collection to support curatorial and collection planning with periodical reviews
Community consultations for decisions surrounding public art acquisitions and de-accessions

Funding should be transparent and come from a combination of funding sources; operational budgets, public funding programs and fundraising.

Public art operations, maintenance, and programming
Support for public art by underrepresented groups, including racialized and Indigenous artists.
Promotions and engagement by students, faculty and staff, and support for cross-promotion with other University art galleries

Quebec’s Politique d’integration des arts à l’architecture et à l’environnement des bâtiments et des sites gouvernementaux et publics (1% program)

Partnerships should be fostered with clear communication and transparency:

Both within Concordia - not only through the Faculty of Fine Arts; - and outside the University such as with the City of Montreal, and other art galleries and communities within Montreal
With artists that follow best practices and processes including, financial compensation and promotions

Diversity and inclusion concerning the public art collection and programming should involve:

Different perspectives and voices in decision making to support equitable and inclusive programming
Community representation reflected in advisory and selection committees
Ongoing diversity and inclusion training for staff, consultants and committee members
Building long-term relationships and trust with communities, artists, partner organizations and institutions

Engagement with the public art collection could occur through the following events, activities and platforms:

Community consultations, conferences, panel talks, residencies, workshops, unveilings, artists talks, educational programs, in-person and virtual tours
Podcasts, online maps of the collection, organized recreational activities, leveraging wider events such as Journées de la culture, involvement of art or (non-art) departments in activities, and presentations to university senior management
Online platforms and trends in public art and contemporary art practices including time-based art, ephemeral art, performance art and digital interactive technologies