September 23-25, the City of Asheville will host a conference on public art. Public Art 360 will help budding public artists shift out of the studio and “deal with bureaucracies.” Schooling will also be provided in the area of public art administration.
Keynote speaker Bill Ivey is concerned public art is treated as a “high-end amenity” that can be shucked in tough economic climates. He doesn’t want art to have to compete with sports teams in economic analyses. Public art consultant Janet Kagan believes art should be viewed in terms of its quality instead of its expense. She also believes the economy is recovering.
