Everywhere I travel, there is art. And sometimes in the most unexpected places. Art is in manhole covers,
Art on fences.
on the walls.
Art built into the buildings
Art in the ceilings of elevators.
The world is covered with Art... And then you come to the US. Yes, we have art; it is around, but more often than not, we have a brutalist look... and even that is, at times, too kind.
We have an economic savings look. When we develop our community spaces, more often than not, we pick what is cheap - or affordable within the budgets that we provide for our communities. No frills, and today I am here to make the case for more art - even if that art is in community spaces but controlled by others - so you might not like it - we need more art. Even when we think we can’t afford it, art brings in jobs, tourism, and commerce, helps us be healthier and safer, and is worth the investment.
How Art helps us feel seen and included:
Art is an incredible mode of communication. Art is one of the ways that we can asynchronously communicate with others in our community and with those just passing through. This is such a powerful tool. Someone can walk in without anyone else in a space and immediately feel welcome - or excluded, safe - or vulnerable, joyous - or depressed. Art is a conveyor of emotions. When we do this well in public spaces, people feel a part of something, even if they don't live there.
Fences and high walls along a public walking path can give the feeling that you are not welcome and the place is unsafe as everyone is protecting inwards, shunning the community. (the post had an interesting article about how fences raise anxieties and can increase a sense of isolation ) Add some art on the other side of that wall, add a garden and a bench, add a [well-locked if you feel unsafe] door and the message changes. It changes from “I fear the outside world” to “I want my privacy. However, I am a part of this community, and community means I welcome other people.” Remove the fence altogether (keep the Art), and you have a message that we are all one community together.
It can be as simple as a Welcome sign or as complicated as you like, but coming into a place where you can see a bit of Art, a topiary, a pollinator garden, a sculpture, or a mural, whatever the Art is, immediately tells you that you are somewhere special, somewhere that is loved, somewhere that people are proud of and look after.
How Art helps increase jobs and job satisfaction.
Art gives the mind a break. It can help us relax so that our brains can focus on what needs to be done at work. When work becomes overwhelming, you look up at your desk, see a small desk container garden, see a photo from your favorite artist, drawings from your kids, a sculpture that you can play with, whatever it might be; it makes you feel better. When you feel better, you are able to concentrate more and think more creatively, and when in meetings with others, it is more likely to help you stay in a good mood to work better with others. In short, it helps relieve stress.
How Art can keep us healthy
Art has an amazing impact on our health. We've already sort of touched on how art helps our mental health, but art in public spaces can also help our physical health. There was a great study done in Sweden where they looked at data from an entrance to a transit center. There were two options, stairs and an escalator. People were taking the escalator and not getting much exercise from using the stairs. So the researchers turned to art and play. They made the stairs musical. Adding that little element allowed people of all ages to choose the stairs over the escalator. People also played with it, hopping up and down between stairs to create songs, and it brought a smile to their faces. It brought health and happiness into the world.
Now yes, I'm sure that it costs more to maintain. I'm sure that it will cost more to install. I'm sure that some thought it was ridiculous. But look at the impact. What is the purpose of us being on this planet? What is the point of government? Yes, installing was more expensive, but that was jobs for construction workers, musicians, and technicians. Yes, it costs more to maintain, so more jobs for repair folks, and perhaps every time it's repaired, you work with different musicians to have different instruments, different scales, new ideas, and implementations. Yes, some will think it's ridiculous, but look at all the joy it brings, the health impact, and the smiles, and know that it was worth tenfold.
Stairs are not the only art that helps with physical health. Art along walkways encourages people to continue on to see the next installation. Art in the form of gardens can encourage people to get outside and take care of the garden... which could be just walking around or planting trees and weeding - a wide range of levels of physical activity. Dance in parks, enjoyment of music, and bodily movement. There are so many ways to incorporate art and movement into our public spaces for the betterment of all of us, and it's a shame that we don't pursue it.
How Art can help us with climate change
Art is very close to science in so many ways. You are creating something new. You are trying to understand the world and communicate it to others. Art helps us explain science. Whether it is creating a great plot or a way to communicate the results, we need an eye for what looks good and will keep people's attention.
But beyond that, Art can help science and the health of our world. Community gardens, rooftop gardens, walking more instead of driving, wanting to be outside more, and using less energy inside are all good for the climate. Creating green spaces and making them pleasant and useful places can help cool the planet. Increasing walkways that are beautiful so people choose to use them instead of driving removes cars from the road and reduces greenhouse emissions.
Okay, art alone won’t save us from ourselves, but it can help! Getting folks to enjoy using more natural resources or making a smaller global footprint is preferable. Again, it might cost more from an infrastructure side, but that means more jobs and more jobs help and increase our positive impact on the planet, the economy, and our lives.
How Art helps us envision who we want to be and remember who we are and where we came from
Art helps connect us to our history, culture, and place. And with that, Art helps us know where we want to go, who we want to be, and who we should be. Dedications in the form of murals, statutes, and graffiti remind us of what happened in that location.
White bikes without pedals tell the story of a soul taken too early because of our lack of bike lanes and non-car infrastructure. It reminds us to be vigilant and aware. Quotes and murals tell the story of inspirational humans and who we should strive to emulate. Art does this without much effort. Okay, the art itself takes a lot of effort, training, talent, and time from an individual. The art in location sits back relatively unobtrusively. It sits and doesn't ask anything actively of us. Our eyes scan the area, and we are immediately filled with a story, a feeling, and then it passes. We might sit and take it in for a moment, come back when we're less busy, or just continue on by, letting it become part of the background, the essence of an area.
How Art helps keep places safe: people have pride in a location.
When people have pride in a location, others tend to treat the area with more care when they come to visit. Okay, the way that was stated isn't great. When there is art, when there is purpose, when there are places to sit and enjoy the art, people come out and tend to be more respectful. It's kind of like how once you enter a library, you start speaking more softly, or if you step into a garden, you just slow down and don't throw garbage everywhere. Art tells others that people are there and they care. It also brings people out to enjoy the art, creating a place where a community can grow. And where you have a community, you often have people who know each other and more eyes watching out for everyone and for the area - making the area safer.
Art brings so much value, jobs, and more health and happiness to an area. Why we don't invest more in public art is beyond me, but I sure hope that we do in the future.
Love this!!! As a music teacher and textile addict, creativity is important in all lives.