Before competing for public art opportunities, artists should consider the following...

• Public art tends to be a highly competitive field which requires a high level of professionalism and project management skills.
• Working in the public realm requires interaction with many different decision-makers including bureaucrats and elected officials, community members, construction professionals, site visitors, users of public space, and other designers – known collectively as stakeholders.
• Working in the public realm requires patience and willingness to accept comments and critiques from non-arts professionals. It also requires flexibility, good negotiating skills and a willingness to work outside the studio.
• Working on public art projects with public funding requires a high level of professional integrity as it necessitates the management of large sums of taxpayer money, sometimes over a long period of time. The artist also has to be prepared to answer to the commissioning agency and/or the media.
• If an artist is awarded a project, they will have to enter into a comprehensive contract with rigid insurance and legal requirements.
• Originality is the artists responsibility and aesthetic integrity should be an artists primary goal.  Artists are obliged to make every effort to make original, innovative art that is authentically relevant to the artist and to the circumstances of the project.
• Many public artworks will be in place for years if not decades. Long-term maintenance and engineering are crucial considerations for which artists are primarily responsible.

Important Questions to Ask:

• Are my skill set, career intentions, and area of interest appropriate to this kind of work?
• Is interfacing with municipal entities and the public important to me and my work?