Why Public Art?

Does public art make a difference, and how? ASLA's The Dirt blog looks at all the ways public art is effective, from job creation and real estate value to cultural cache and tourism.

1 minute read

April 20, 2011, 2:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur

Gary Steuer, chief cultural officer of Philadelphia, was part of a recent debate over quantifying the value of public art. He says that there is still some question over whether public art has a purely "intrinsic" or "instrumental" value:

"Intrinsic value relates to the aesthetic value of any work of art, its own value as a piece of artistic expression. Instrumental value relates to the ability of art to educate, create jobs, increase real estate value, create citizens, increase tourism, and provide other benefits."

ASLA cites a couple of examples of innovative public art projects in Massachusetts, Brooklyn, San Francisco and New Orleans.

FULL STORY: The Many Benefits of Public Art

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 in ASLA's The Dirt blog

Community / Economic Development United States Public Art

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