WHAT IS PUBLIC ART - Definition

CHARACTERISTICS  |  FORMS AND TYPES 

K. M. Williamson, Ph.D.   2018

What is public art | What is not public art

What is public art

The term ‘public art’ refers to a genre of art whose form, function and meaning are intended for the general public, and which is installed or staged in physical public space or the public realm.  

Public art must therefore include the following criteria:


What is not public art

Independent art created or staged in or near the public realm (for example, graffiti, street art, yard art/lawn ornaments) which lacks official or tangible public sanction, cannot be classified within the public art genre.  Such unofficial artwork may be on private property immediately adjacent to the public realm, or it may be on public property or even in natural settings.  But however ubiquitous, this art falls outside the definition of public art by its absence of any public process or public sanction as bona fide public art.   

The following distinctions are useful:


De facto public art

Artworks that do not qualify as public art may, over time and over events, become de facto public art to the extent that the general public explicitly accepts and defines them as such (for example, by not having them removed, or by physically maintaining or changing them).  Such public acceptance of an artwork as public art should be tangible, such as with public identification (label, plaque, marker), with public placement (in public space), or with public maintenance.  

What are the characteristics of public art?

Characteristics of public art are public process, public accessibility, artistic/aesthetic quality   These characteristics usefully distinguish public art from both "non-public" art (e.g., graffiti, yard art) and "non-art" in public (e.g., signage, commercial advertisement, private promotional efforts).

Public process

Public art is artwork that is planned, created, procured, and/or maintained through public processes that can define public art forms and goals, community participation, artist and artwork selection, and funding mechanisms (such as municipal Percent-For-Art programs or Art in Public Places programs).

Public accessibility

Public art is accessibility, both visual and physical, to the general public.   When public art is installed on privately-owned property, physical accessibility is vulnerable to restrictions from underlying private property rights.  Such access restrictions, however, are greatly limited by general public access rights (Kayden, 2000).

Some public artworks can only provide distant visual accessibility, such a s building-mounted murals and large digital and lighting installations (for ex., LAX Pylons).   In contrast, interactive public artworks designed for hands-on accessibility have been especially popular in public places and playgrounds.

Artistic/aesthetic quality

Public art is artistic to the degree that it demonstrates an “expression or application of human creative skill and imagination…to be appreciated primarily for beauty or emotional power" (Oxford).   Public art therefore demonstrates clear aesthetic qualities in form or theme. 

What are the forms of public art?

What are the types of public art?  

The forms of public art identify the extent to which public art can be physically integrated with the immediate context or environment. These forms, which can overlap, employ different types of public art that suit a particular integration.  We list the following five forms and some common public art types used to achieve the degree of context integration:

Is there a difference between public art and art in public places?

We have found much popular confusion with the use of the term "art in public places."  Formally, the term is applied to official government arts programs.  Informally, the term has been used as a broad classification of any artistic feature existing in the public realm. 

The term "art in public places" commonly refers to local government and community arts programs, whereas public art specifically refers to artworks planned, created and installed as public artworks and in public places. For example, "Art in public places" programs may include arts education, art performances, community outreach, or programs for the provision of public art such as community murals and artworks.