from FORWARD: Issue #4: Public Art Now
About This Publication
FORWARD, a digital publication and conversation series from Forecast, highlights how artists are partnering with cities, institutions, and communities to courageously tackle the vital issues of our time. It focuses on how cities, communities, organizations, and others can benefit from partnering with and hiring artists to help meet the essential needs of communities. Each issue is created in collaboration with partnering and sponsoring organizations, including the University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine, ArtPlace, Smart Growth America, PolicyLink, and, in the upcoming fourth issue, MASS Design and Franz Mayer of Munich.
We continue to update each living publication as we learn about new work in the field of public art as it intersects with each issue's focus: thus far, public health, transportation, and community safety.
Here at Forecast, we invite policy makers, public health workers, urban planners, architects, artists, city managers, funders—anyone interested in working to advance justice, health, and human dignity—to engage, contribute, and learn with us. This publication is free, allowing us to reach people anywhere, without barriers to access. If you are able, we invite you to support this new effort with a financial contribution, sponsorship, or publishing partnership.
Meet Forecast
Who we are
Forecast is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1978, that partners with community organizations, transportation agencies and departments, city and arts administrators, artists, and other public and private groups and individuals nationwide throughout the entire process of creating public art that advances justice, health, and human dignity. We consult with decision-makers and stakeholders on public art and cultural planning efforts; help find, select, curate, and commission public artists and artwork; and support public artists with funding, training, and opportunities to cultivate partnerships and advance their public art careers. We place particular emphasis on access for BIPOC artists and groups that are traditionally excluded.
Who we work with
Forecast works with stakeholders and community members across the country to meet their public art and engagement needs.
Are you looking to hire an artist or incorporate public art into a project or plan?
- We support all aspects of public art commissioning and curation, including RFQ creation, artist selection, project management, and more.
- Our accessible and equitable arts and culture planning and engagement efforts include creative community engagement, public art planning and mapping, community and environmental scanning, technical assistance, public art program and collection equity reviews, and more.
- We break down the hard and soft skills for successful public art practice in our Institute via training and workshops focused on helping public artists, administrators, and affiliated professionals enlist culture and creativity to address equitable and healthy community outcomes.
PUBLIC ART NOW team
Publisher Theresa Sweetland
Project Manager Jen Dolen
Public Art Now Guest Curator Mary V. Bordeaux
Curator of Partnerships & Programming Mallory Rukhsana Nezam
Senior Editor Jon Spayde
Copy Editor Loma Huh
Layout Fred Pirlot
Accounting Shauna Dee
We are committed to publishing a diversity of voices. Opinions offered by featured writers or other contributors in the written publication series and/or panelists in the conversation series do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication and do not constitute an endorsement of any position or person.
Sign up for our Public Art Update to receive monthly insights on what's happening at Forecast and in the fields of public art and creative placemaking. You can also follow along behind the scenes with our consulting team in our quarterly Making Change and learn how we work on projects our team is leading nationwide.
© COPYRIGHT 2022 FORECAST PUBLIC ART ISSN 2768-4113