March 2022 - EG Structural

Monthly Archives: March 2022

A mural highlighting diversity with colorful outlines of people

Diversity in Public Art: How Can It Bring a Community Together

In the last few years, issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion have become prominent talking points in our society. Its role in the business world and our communities cannot be overstated. Another area that it is impacting is the public art scene.

EG Structural is on a mission to enrich communities with exciting large-scale art pieces that drive their economy and beautify their spaces. We’re founded on the principle that functional sculpture pieces can exhibit the incredible identity behind communities and commercial properties. Read our blog post below to learn how diversity in public art can bring communities together.

Does Public Art Tell the Full Story of a City and the People Within It?

According to the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, a vast majority of artists, administrators, curators, writers, and commercial consumers are white. This can be due to a number of factors like the high cost of fine art degrees, lack of access to arts education and materials, and the lack of affordable rehearsal and living spaces. This problem exists because of institutional and structural barriers that make it virtually impossible for artists of color to enter and thrive in the arts.

So, does public art truly encompass everything about one’s community? It can. What distinguishes public art is the unique association of how it is made, where it is, and what it means. Public art can express community values, enhance our environment, transform a landscape, heighten our awareness, or question our assumptions.

By incorporating more minority voices and investing in art in areas where it is lacking, public art can hold a true reflection on how we view the world and the people who live in it. More than that, it influences people’s imagination, enables them to create their own voice, and promotes greater diversity.

Strategically executed public art can raise awareness toward issues plaguing the community. For centuries, people have been designing art that is a response to affairs happening around them. Today is no different; as you’ve seen from the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s spurred an endless stream of creative output that promotes diversity and inclusion.

Moreover, it has had an incredible impact on the public by engaging community members in civic dialogue. Art can open our eyes to things we either never thought of or didn’t know were bigger than we thought. Its ability to promote a culturally-rich and all-inclusive environment should not be overlooked.

Lead by Example With More Diversity in Public Art Works

Public art is crucial if you want to ensure your message for better diversity lives on beyond the protests and conversations. It cements your community as one that supports every resident no matter the color of their skin, religion, nationality, or sexual orientation. More than anything, art can inspire others to become allies and speak up in support of their friends, neighbors, and co-workers from historically marginalized groups.

How Does One Get More Involved in Promoting Diversity in Public Art?

In order to make a change, you need to acknowledge that there is a problem. It’s important to learn and understand the implicit biases that show up in our society as individuals, organizations, and public policies.

To better your public art community, you need to invest in programs that intentionally serve artists from underrepresented and under-invested areas. You need to address racial equity in the public art field by providing tools, resources, and opportunities to people of color. Not to mention looking for barriers in our public art programs and finding ways to make it easier to get into for artists.

EG Structural Supports Better Diversity in the Arts

At EG Structural we have a passion for creating projects that inspire. We create timeless public art projects that embody the spirit of our clients and their community. Whether they’re a corporate entity or a municipality, we see what makes them special and design sculpture pieces that highlight their exceptionality.

If your organization is looking for a private commission sculpture piece or if you have questions about being more involved in public art, contact EG Structural today!

A group of children are playing on top of a large public art project in the park

How Do Public Art Projects Engage Communities?

Not only are public art projects a reflection of the community in which it stands, but it also attracts people to engage with it. It’s a powerful tool for bringing in tourism, enhancing community members’ health, and encouraging people to get involved in the arts. Even if it’s just appreciating what other people have created.

EG Structural is looking to change how people perceive public art by creating incredible art installations and brand identities that excite the public. However, our mission would amount to nothing without the strong expertise of the custom fabrication professionals we partner with. Read our blog post below on how interactive public art projects attract communities.

Art has the power to capture one’s imagination and encourage people to pay attention and perceive their environments more deeply. Not only that, it stimulates learning and thoughts about art and its correlation with society, our interconnected lives, and our place in society as a whole. Public art provides everyone in the community with direct and ongoing encounters with art. It engages social interaction—both during the selection process and following installation. And, artwork can lead the viewer toward self-reflection and awareness.

Art Has the Power to Inspire Collaboration

Another way public art projects engage communities is how it provides a way for people to collaborate. The effort of creating art for public spaces is not a solo venture, it takes a village. Creating public art involves the artist sharing their creative point of view and approach to art-making; often collaborating with others in its development. As a result, there may be a strong sense of ownership in the community as members may feel they were a part of the creative process.

A great example of this is our Roswell, New Mexico Welcome Signs. We included Roswell residents in our creative process to not only generate excitement towards the project but also gauge their opinions on our concepts. This allowed us to ensure everybody was happy with the work, including those who would see it every day on their commute.

Public Art Generates Greater Economic Value

As mentioned above, art installations have the potential to bring people into one’s community. According to Americans for the Arts, data strongly indicates that cities with an active and dynamic cultural scene are more attractive to individuals and businesses. What this means is that art can help grow interest in areas of the city and generate revenue for the organizations around it. That is why it’s important to consider investing in public art in community beautification projects, new business developments, and much more.

Public Art Does What Art Museums Don’t

Not to say art museums aren’t important, because they are. But, public art provides a stronger sense of community and opens people’s minds and eyes to free installations. It’s free admission to a piece of art that demands our attention on things that matter to us as people:

Our community’s history.
Our sense of place.
Brings meaning within a community.
Illuminates the quality of life of the city in which it is located.

EG Structural Creates Sculpture Pieces That Inspire

At EG Structural we have a passion for creating projects that inspire. For over 25 years, Eric Garcia has provided strong conceptual design to develop timeless public art projects that embody the spirit of our clients. Whether they’re a corporate entity or a municipality, we see what makes them special and design a sculpture that highlights their exceptionality.

If your organization is looking for a private commission sculpture piece, contact EG Structural today and we’ll be in touch with you as soon as possible!

EG Structural's large-scale art welcome sign for Roswell, New Mexico

Proper Funding Helps Public Art Initiatives: But Where Does It Come From?

The cornerstone of any public art initiative is securing adequate funding for its conceptualization, fabrication, and installation. There are a number of ways artists gain financial support for creating a piece of public art, such as public/private sector investment, percent, and non-percent-for-art programs, and developer participation.

Whether you’re a community space or a company, we believe you have a story. At EG Structural, it is our mission to bring it to life. We’re founded on the principle that functional public art can exhibit the incredible identity behind the communities and commercial properties where they stand. Read our article below to learn the ins and outs of proper funding for public art installations.

First, What Exactly Is Public Art?

According to Americans for the Arts, public art is exactly how it sounds. It is art that is located in public spaces. When you think of public art, you might think of some large statue sculpted out of marble or bronze. However, installations can take a wide variety of forms, sizes, and scales that can be made temporary or permanent. Oftentimes, it can interpret a community’s history, its people, and even address social or environmental issues concerning our society.

Public art can include anything from murals and sculptures to memorials, architectural works, and even new digital media! The possibilities are endless, but they all start with one thing – proper funding.

Where Does Public Art Get Its Funding?

As mentioned, public art installations typically get their funding from public/private sector collaborations, percent and non-percent-for-art programs, and developer participation.

Public/Private Sector Collaborations: Public art can find its funding from ongoing, existing local organizations, such as those in government and business, to help design many public spaces like gardens, pathways, recreation areas, storefronts, and many more. Additionally, it’s not uncommon to encourage local museums to loan out art pieces for temporary placement throughout a community.
Percent and Non-Percent-for-Art-Programs: Percent-for-art ordinances guarantee a funding stream for public art projects regardless of what happens to city budgets or arts funding. The policy also guarantees that public art projects will be planned each year, as long as publicly funded capital improvement projects are underway and municipal construction continues. Non-percent-for-art-programs are communities that receive funds through the city’s taxes and revenue. For example, Phoenix, Arizona uses money incurred from the city’s general-purpose fund, public-art funds, state lottery revenue, and regional/federal grants.
Developer Participation: Around the country, many private developers are learning that public art spaces can benefit their properties. As a result, many may be willing to invest in an art project to improve their property’s identity, demonstrate civic commitment, and improve employee and tenant satisfaction.

The Benefits of Public Art Installations: Why You Should Be Funding It

When it comes to creating a community identity, look no further than public art. It has the power to create a display that emphasizes everything unique to one’s home. Whether it honors history, people, culture, or geography, art has a way of bringing out your community’s uniqueness. Additionally, it can satisfy our appetite for something beautiful and engaging. Art appreciation is in the details, the craftsmanship, the creative vision, and the execution of an idea.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the President’s Committee on the Arts, 35.3 million adults say art or a cultural related event influences their choice of destination. This creates a huge opportunity for municipalities to invest in public art installations to invigorate tourism in their cities.

EG Structural Creates Sculpture Pieces That Resonate

At EG Structural we have a passion for creating projects that inspire. We create timeless public art projects that embody the spirit of our clients and their community. Whether they’re a corporate entity or a municipality, we see what makes them special and design an open-air sculpture piece that highlights their exceptionality.