By Stacey Holland, Forecast Public Art

In 2013 The Public Art Scrambler began convening self-defined public art professionals connect with their peers in the Twin Cities. The meetings focus on issues and ideas related to public art creation – temporary and permanent – and are determined collectively at an annual community meeting. Past meetings explored questions like: “What kind of creative culture(s) are we making together?” and “What are the values that drive our creative work?.”  At one meeting participants mapped their creative process and worked collaboratively to unpack the relationship of their work to the ecosystems that drive our society with Shanai Matteson and Colin Kloecker of Works Progress. At another meeting presenters from Artists in Storefronts and MakeSh!t shared the amazing work they are doing in our cities.

The Public Art Scrambler annual community meeting in March drew over 60 people invested in public art including artists, fabricators, and city administrators. The Scrambler Steering Committee created a participatory activity that people could engage with throughout the meeting to help crowdsource content. Here’s a sampling of what people are thinking about:

• What possibilities exist at the intersection of public art and restorative justice?
• What is the role of a well-made object? Is there a place for it in contemporary public art?
• What is a public artist? Is that a career?
• How can the idea of “placemaking” remain meaningful and not be co-opted into traditional forms of gentrification?
• How can we foster increased appreciation and stewardship for the field?

The next Scrambler will be at the McKnight Foundation, the sponsor of the events, toward the end of April. The topics aren’t quite decided, but it’s based on the ideas that were generated at the community meeting. If you are interested in learning about future events, you can sign up here!