Opinion: Controversy can't guide public art policy

You have heard many words in Calgary that wish to become 'world class cities'.

I like this town, so I'm happy to see this, but what do you mean? What makes the city wonderful? One is a strong and rewarding arts, culture and public art.

All "world class cities" such as London, New York, Berlin, Chicago, know that investing in powerful and rewarding arts, culture and public art is the key to success. Supporting the art, especially the current view on Calgary's public art, is primarily responses to specific controversies, ignoring the overall situation.

For example, most public art projects such as manufacturing, construction and installation are done in Calgary, many projects are awarded to Calgary artists, and many projects are held in the city every year. Community celebration

Calgary's public art project was developed as a city policy in Calgary in 2004, one of the most respected projects in the country that has been quoted and published both internationally and internationally.

He has won numerous awards, including the Mayor's Urban Design Award (more than 2 times), Canadian Landscape Society Association, Canadian Downtown Vitality Award, American Art Prize. Projects, projects and initiatives will be presented at conferences, lectures and keynotes from London to Hamilton, Copenhagen to Saskatoon, historical geographer conferences, and Canada's Creative City Network Summit. The program is usually developed nationwide, and of course obey professional best practice standards.

Working in the public domain requires expert knowledge and concrete knowledge. Experts such as engineers and architects bring expertise to these public art projects as well as professional artists who are experts in their fields.

Calgary's public art program brings years of experience to each project and builds a very successful collaborative approach to working in the public domain over time. The journey of public art projects is time consuming, there are many levels and nuances. This may be lost if the likelihood of establishing a relationship through this process will be boil down to simple likes and dislikes.

Calgary's public art programs and policies are reviewed more frequently than anywhere else in the country. Sometimes a review is needed and a process is developed, but every few years there is a need to further develop a public art dialogue engaged in an ongoing dialogue outside the controversy. Especially see the progress and success achieved in recent years. .

This is the reason why our city is a world class. Accept success and challenges and celebrate our achievements

Ciara McKeown is a public artist and consultant working in many cities in Canada and the USA.

Since the National Art Foundation (NEA) became the largest artistic fundraiser of the year in 1965, the controversy on artistic public funds has been increasing from time to time. Some Americans want to limit taxes and government funds for the program so some of the controversy is political, sometimes controversial as work created by tax funds is considered aggressive It is. Study these problems at the Opposition Resource Center and write an editorial that supports or opposes the 50% reduction of NEA funds

The change of the National Arts Foundation (NEA) was canceled in the late 1980s as the old controversy caused the first "public moral inspiration" proposal. The 1980s was a decade of intentional controversy, which led to the British Turner award named after JMW. Turner is famous for the blue nose of the early 19th century and includes all the Queen Victoria of Prudho and paintings of wild exteriorists. Today 's NEA will not fund the art that will spur the controversy and financing boom of the 1980' s. Andres Serrano 's photo "Pissing Christ." Serrano said it does not mean a big controversy by public photographic exhibitions. Gallery (Photographer also received personal direct funds from NEA)

The problem faced by most cultural policies and art funding agencies today is that their legitimacy is not clear. Art funds are still highly appreciated by public opinion, but the reasons for public funds seem to be controversial. Art may be good overall, but who decides to obtain the funds and how these funds are allocated? It is in this uncertain context that "usefulness" arises and the discourse of the creative industry is often considered an explicit statement that this usage must be finally defined in economic terms I will.