Does public art make a difference, and how? ASLA's The Dirt blog looks at all the ways public art is effective, from job creation and real estate value to cultural cache and tourism.
Gary Steuer, chief cultural officer of Philadelphia, was part of a recent debate over quantifying the value of public art. He says that there is still some question over whether public art has a purely "intrinsic" or "instrumental" value:
"Intrinsic value relates to the aesthetic value of any work of art, its own value as a piece of artistic expression. Instrumental value relates to the ability of art to educate, create jobs, increase real estate value, create citizens, increase tourism, and provide other benefits."
ASLA cites a couple of examples of innovative public art projects in Massachusetts, Brooklyn, San Francisco and New Orleans.
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