The role of an artist
Unlike studio art, public art is more prescriptive and an artist is directed more by the client, the location and restrictions of a project (mostly timescales and budgets). Things to consider are:
- Your response to the parameters set by the client/ commissioner
- The features of the site - its sense of place, history or local characters
- Making it contemporary – making new work and innovation match a unique place
- The nature of the design process – does it include community engagement workshops or talks and seminars, before the work can be created
Main roles are:
- Designer
- Researcher
- Community engager
- In some cases managing a subcontractor for fabrication
- Ensuring that the work is delivered on time and on budget
- Making proposals and presentations
- Having many areas of specialism – health and safety, transport, installation, marketing
- …… as well as artist and creator of the work
Here is a summary of the commissioning process;
Commissioner writes the brief
Artists advertised for / expression of interest sought
Interviews / Design competition * / OR selection based on previous work
Design phase – under a Design Contract
Research design and community work
Present artist's proposal
Make reasonable adjustments
Design approval sought (with steering group/ commissioner/ community/ planning permission etc)
Commissioner contracts artist for Creation Phase
Fabricating and sub contracting
Further community work
Installation
* A selection of artists paid to submit a design.
The Artists proposal
At the end of the artists research and design phase the artist will either propose one design (for discussion) or several designs (for choice). The proposal should cover the following points:
- What the work is about (what it says/ represents)
- How it responds to the brief and the site (where the inspiration came from?)
- Factual information about the work (how big, dimensions and weight etc)
- Location of work
- Materials it is made of (durability/ quality etc)
- The making process (if you need any other specialist to work with)
- Installation process and transport – who does what
- A risk assessment
- Any maintenance/ care issues
- Realistic timescale
- A budget - this should include/ take account of; materials and fabrication, artists time (creation time as well as admin and logistics), site works, transport and installation costs
Design Statement
If your artwork needs separate planning permission after its design a Design and Access Statement needs to accompany your proposal. A Design and Access Statement is a short report accompanying and supporting a planning application that explains and justifies the proposal in a structured way. The level of detail required will depend on the scale and complexity of the application but should cover both the design principles and concepts and how issues relating to access will be dealt with. This will help your commissioner apply for planning permission for the work.
Most commissioners follow a process of commissioning in two contracting phases. The first is a design contract where the research, design and community consultation is undertaken. The second is concerned with the creation and installation of the work. This allows negotiation, planning permission and publicity of the work to form a genuine role in informing the work and ensuring that the commission is bespoke and site specific.
The creation of the work
The commissioner will contract the artist for the creation phase. Each commission will be different and each aspect will need negotiating differently - considering all aspects of fabrication, installation and maintenance. The most important points to clarify at this stage would be;
- location, size, scale, materials and finishes of the work
- preparation of the site and installation works
- launch events and publicity
- maintenance and decommissioning
- defects and making good period
- insurances and liabilities
Further help and advice can be sought from the relevant Council’s public art or arts development officer.
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