Specialist curator & public art specialists

The appointment of expert public art specialists in a number of Local Authorities and other government bodies has demonstrated a real commitment to public art commissioning at local and regional level.

These specialist curators can support the delivery of more comprehensive and thoughtfully conceived programmes. They enable a consideration of a public art policy and the integration of mediation, evaluation, critical reflection and curatorial dimensions to support practice, artists and the processes. The appointment of such specialists have also meant that there has been a proactive and visionary approach to commissioning art and this has had an impact on the range and type of commissions being awarded, as well as opening up to other disciplines.

Independent curators also offer potential to manage commissions and programmes where there is no specialist expertise in house.