Getting public art right

A new toolkit makes navigating the detail-heavy environment of public art commissions easy with checklists and solid advice.
artwork in train station over escalators by Chris Fox

We’ve all seen appalling examples of public art – be it for their choice of subject matter, misjudged scale, ill-thought out community engagement or poor maintenance.

That has started to shift in recent years, thanks to a lot more accountability around the commissioning of public artworks. Today there is better attention to community connection, respect for diverse voices and sacred sites.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina