What do you think?
Rate this book
The Artist's Guide to Public Art: How to Find and Win Commissions
Public art commissions--how to find them, how to get them.
* First-hand advice from experienced public artists
* Written by an artist for artists
* Includes expert information on public art law
Learn how to find, apply for, compete for, and win a public art commission. First-hand interviews with experienced public artists and arts administrators provide in-the-trenches advice and insight, and a chapter on public art law, written by Barbara Hoffman, the country's leading public art law attorney, answers questions about this complex area. Packed with details on working with contracts, conflict, controversy, communities, committees, and more, The Artist’s Guide to Public Art shows artists the way to cut through the red tape and win commissions that are rewarding both financially and artistically.
* First-hand advice from experienced public artists
* Written by an artist for artists
* Includes expert information on public art law
Learn how to find, apply for, compete for, and win a public art commission. First-hand interviews with experienced public artists and arts administrators provide in-the-trenches advice and insight, and a chapter on public art law, written by Barbara Hoffman, the country's leading public art law attorney, answers questions about this complex area. Packed with details on working with contracts, conflict, controversy, communities, committees, and more, The Artist’s Guide to Public Art shows artists the way to cut through the red tape and win commissions that are rewarding both financially and artistically.
- GenresArt
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 2008
10 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 12, 2019
The book opens badly with a word from MJ Jacob stating the vision of the artist as a petty governmental bureaucrat waiting with the tin can that the powerful people will like their piece of propaganda.
The Introduction is on the same level. The artist has nothing to say. The artist is there use their skills to serve the goals of the elite, the same way a driver will drive the councilman or a Secret Service agent will kill the potential assassin.
The main issue arises from a misunderstanding on my part. I have read "Public Art" in the sense of arts that is accessible from the public space. Say a sculpture in a window or a mural up on the 10th floor of a private building. While the author does not exclude these aspects, the word public is used as in "Public School", meaning a secretive deal between a seller and an interested party in which the public is going to pay both the art piece and the bureaucrat's 5 star restaurant bills and the dealer's commission.
What is sickening in this book is that the assumed artist does not have a voice, not even some vague beliefs. Like in the Soviet Union the artist indexes the subjects, mediums and styles by the probability to empty the tin can labeled "art budget". Hence, the word artist is also misused and abused. Here, there is no art. Only a propaganda laborer ready to serve the goals of whomever can puncture the budget of some governmental institution.
So here's a second star for the fascination to read this and the opportunity to step into the world of a special kind of worker. The Socialist countries are so alike!
The Introduction is on the same level. The artist has nothing to say. The artist is there use their skills to serve the goals of the elite, the same way a driver will drive the councilman or a Secret Service agent will kill the potential assassin.
The main issue arises from a misunderstanding on my part. I have read "Public Art" in the sense of arts that is accessible from the public space. Say a sculpture in a window or a mural up on the 10th floor of a private building. While the author does not exclude these aspects, the word public is used as in "Public School", meaning a secretive deal between a seller and an interested party in which the public is going to pay both the art piece and the bureaucrat's 5 star restaurant bills and the dealer's commission.
What is sickening in this book is that the assumed artist does not have a voice, not even some vague beliefs. Like in the Soviet Union the artist indexes the subjects, mediums and styles by the probability to empty the tin can labeled "art budget". Hence, the word artist is also misused and abused. Here, there is no art. Only a propaganda laborer ready to serve the goals of whomever can puncture the budget of some governmental institution.
So here's a second star for the fascination to read this and the opportunity to step into the world of a special kind of worker. The Socialist countries are so alike!
June 29, 2016
This book seems filled with great information.
I will follow Lynn Basa's advice for a year and see if my commission awards rise.
I will follow Lynn Basa's advice for a year and see if my commission awards rise.
August 9, 2016
Every artist should read this book to learn how to be professional!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews