Public art's "right to the city": determining various role players' perceptions, experiences and preferences for public art in public spaces in the City of Cape Town.

Abstract

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Public art can fuel controversy amongst various role players as not all of them agree about whether specific public art is acceptable or not, and whether it should be incorporated into public spaces, and the process that should be followed to commission public artists and public art itself. The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions, experiences and preferences for public art in the CBD in the City of Cape Town. Data were collected from structured interviews conducted with government officials of the City of Cape Town and public artists. Rapid appraisals were also conducted with the general public to determine these various role players’ perceptions, experiences and preferences for public art in the CBD in the City of Cape Town. The results indicate that various laws relate directly and indirectly to public art and that various mechanisms exist with regards to commissioning, funding, managing and maintaining public art in the CBD in the City of Cape Town. The research also indicates that the various role players have contrasting perceptions regarding the various processes to commission, fund, manage and maintain public art and the various types / forms of public art. The various role players indicated that they would like to see more public spaces made available for the installation of public art in the CBD in the City of Cape Town. This study concludes with recommendations to improve the public art discipline.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Openbare kuns kan omstredenheid onder verskillende rolspelers veroorsaak indien almal van hulle nie saamstem of spesifieke openbare kuns aanvaarbaar is of nie, en of dit in openbare ruimtes opgeneem moet word, en die proses wat gevolg moet word om die openbare kunstenaars en openbare kuns op sigself magtiging te gee . Die doel van hierdie studie was om die persepsies, ervaringe en voorkeure te bepaal vir openbare kuns in die middestad van die Stad Kaapstad. Data was ingesamel uit gestruktureerde onderhoude wat gevoer was met die regeringsamptenare van die Stad Kaapstad en openbare kunstenaars. Kort onderhoude was ook uitgevoer met die algemene publiek. Die data was om verskillende rolspelers se persepsies, ervaringe en voorkeure te bepaal vir openbare kuns in die middestad van die Stad Kaapstad. Die resultate dui daarop dat verskeie wette wat direk en indirek verband hou met openbare kuns en dat verskeie meganismes bestaan met betrekking tot werwing, befondsing, bestuur en instandhouding van openbare kuns in die middestad van die Stad Kaapstad. Die navorsing dui ook aan dat die verskillende rolspelers kontrasterende persepsies het met betrekking tot die verskillende prosesse om gemagtigde openbare kuns en openbare kuntenaars te befonds en te bestuur, en die verskillende tipes / vorme van openbare kuns in stand te hou. Die verskillende rolspelers het aangedui dat hulle graag wil sien dat meer openbare ruimtes beskikbaar gestel moet word vir die uistalling van openbare kuns in die middestad van die Stad Kaapstad. Hierdie studie sluit af met aanbevelings om die openbare kuns dissipline te verbeter.