Public Art
Value of Public Art
The Town of Wake Forest recognizes the importance of facilitating the creation and installation of art for public spaces that evokes social and aesthetic interaction.
It is intended that works of public art will enliven public space, promote community identity and sense of place, and contribute to a vibrant and engaging town.
The goal for the public art program is a transparent and directed public process for commissioning and acquiring art for public spaces that will contribute to the town's cultural and economic vitality.
The Public Art Commission supports and coordinates public art through a variety of projects and special and temporary public art projects in collaboration with events, other departments, and community partners. Wake Forest's Public Art program is guided by the Public Art Vision Plan.
What is Public Art?
Public Art is a descriptive term for a broad range of art that exists in the public realm; it may be sited on public land, funded through public resources, or developed through a public process.
A simple definition of public art is an artwork or element of design that is either temporarily or permanently located in a public space and which responds to or is informed by its site. The word public indicates community involvement; public art projects thereby create and inspire relationships and communication among constituent interests who are necessary to complete the work.
Public art is more than placing a sculpture on a site. Public art demands that works of art be context and site-specific with attention to audience, environmental conditions, cultural history, and urban or natural landscape.
Public art and design elements that define public space enhance the aesthetic and visual quality of the community.
Projects, Resources & More
Public Art Vision Plan
A planning task group of the Wake Forest Public Art Commission began work on a new art vision plan in May 2022, building on the first vision plan and the experience of the Commission as it conducted its work between 2009 and 2022.
The task group members gathered qualitative information about the Commission’s performance, vision and direction from conducting a series of interviews with Town staff and community leaders.
The task group prepared a survey of residents to provide quantitative information about public art awareness, acceptance, and preferences which will be conducted at least every three years.
Percent for Art
Established by a 2010 ordinance, the Town's Percent for Art Program allocates one percent of selected capital improvement projects for the creation and maintenance of works of public art. Funding for the Percent for Art projects comes from each project's construction budget.