Karen Bubb, interim director of the Boise City Arts Commission, gave insight into public art proposal in a teleseminar she did with me some time ago.
Don't skip the first phase: Research and Development.
What do you want to do?
What are your motivations, strengths, and weaknesses?
What ideas do you have a passion for?
What media/medium do you work in? How does this translate to a public project?
What strikes you? What engages you in your daily life in public space?
What would you like to see, hear, feel, and participate in?
Is there a particular issue, historical fact/fiction, geographical place that you are drawn to, fascinated by or want to draw attention to?
What is the right tool for the job? Let the idea dictate the tools.
Is there a particular audience you want to reach?
What sites will reach this audience?
If possible, help out another artist with their public project to learn more.
Look at public art-what do you like and why? Find out more about the artist’s process.
Is there an event that you can link a temporary project with to aid both?
2 thoughts on “Tips for Writing a Public Art Proposal”
Thanks for the links and the info about the publication. I have begun working with art consultants and it is a very interesting aspect of selling art. It’s usually very site specific and much more collaborative than the average artist may be used to. I compare it to writing for publication. You have to be open to editing. Until I began to be published on a regular basis I had no idea how collaborative writing really is. Not that an editor or art consultant does your work but there are many parameters that doing “our own thing” often ignore. Size, scope, colors, theme….these sorts of things are agreed upon beforehand and the finished piece must look like the proposal. No artistic license in the process once it’s been approved! Still, an interesting way of working. Thanks again for the info.
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