Public Art Service Study Recommendations
McGregor Consulting
June 6, 1998
Acknowledgements | Introduction | Recommendations | Services 1 | Services 2 | Budget and Funding | Action Plan | Conclusion | Appendix 1 | Appendix 2
<<< Acknowledgements Recommendations >>>
Introduction
This report is the result of four months of intensive study that involved the development of a comprehensive survey of the field. The field of public art has enjoyed tremendous growth in the past decade with increased numbers and types of people involved in the project planning, production and conservation. The encouraging survey results indicated the need for both improved technical information and expanded critical discourse. A centralized organization can be information clearing house to minimize the "re-inventing the wheel" syndrome, as well as a catalyst for directed research, education, and improved communication. The recommendations put forward here are geared to an optimistically high level of service delivery in order to generate the excitement and commitment that is required to carry out the initiative. The menu of ideas put forward here intended as a starting point for the organization.
The need for a public art network or service organization has been discussed in many forums over the past eight years. At the Americans for the Arts pre-conference in Minneapolis last June, the public art interest group area decided to initiate this feasibility study. A Steering Committee was formed, and public art programs pledged funds that were matched by Americans for the Arts. The Steering Committee issued a request for proposals to interested consultants. McGregor Consulting was selected to undertake the study and contracted with Americans for the Arts in January, 1998. The study began with a research phase. Over 50 phone interviews were conducted with key people in the field. Membership information was collected from many professional organizations to determine the types of services offered and membership levels. Several questions guided our research and survey development:
- What services do people want?
- What types of information are people looking for?
- What are the key issues of greatest importance?
- Who is interested in joining this organization?
- How much money are people willing to spend to join?
Public Art Network Survey
A comprehensive survey was developed with the input of the Steering Committee. Over 1,400 surveys were sent to a list that combined mailing lists from Public Art Review, the attendees of the last Americans for the Arts pre-conference, SOS! coordinators, and recommendations from the Steering Committee and McGregor Consulting. The list included most of the public art administrators as well as a wide range of artists nationwide.
The results were extremely positive, a third responded which is outstanding for a survey of this nature. The overwhelming response demonstrated the tremendous interest in the type of organization proposed here and the services described in this report. In fact 400, or 87%, indicated that they would consider joining the organization.
460 received—33% response rate
Professional Breakdown of Respondents:
- 40% artists and design professionals
- 38% administrators and consultants
- 22% others: educators, curators, conservators, critics, historians, etc.
The survey results were tabulated in a database developed specifically for this initiative. The results and the research findings were analyzed and informed the following recommendations. The survey results are summarized in the appendix to this report.
<<< Acknowledgements Recommendations >>>
