5.1 Public Realm Design Guidelines

The Visual Arts

Sheffield City Council has actively encouraged public art programmes since the 1980s. The publication ‘The City and Art: A Public Art Strategy for Sheffield 2001-2004’ outlines Sheffield’s approach to integrating public art within the city and uses the success of existing programmes as exemplars for future projects.

Sheffield’s Public Art Strategy describes public art as “the integration of work by artists and craftspeople into public buildings and spaces”. The integration of a public art scheme into a development can create character and identity and reinforce a sense of place. Art in the public realm can be informative and thought provoking, or offer a pleasing distraction from reality. It can also spur community involvement in the design of the urban environment.

In the broader context, public art projects can become an important part of any strategy to further urban regeneration, attract inward investment and encourage interest and pride in the outdoor environment. However, successful public art projects need a setting of high quality architecture and public space. Art can rarely improve a dull, flawed townscape.

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, it was commonplace for visual art to echo the language of architecture and the environment, to celebrate the functions of the city and the achievements. Artists today look further afield to find inspiration for projects to enhance the quality of city spaces and many are controversial or challenging in their design and content. However, the most successful pieces of public art generally have a local basis which engages the community.

The Public Art Strategy must be used as the foundation for the development of all new public art proposals. In addition, the following should be considered as part of public art proposals :

• Public art can be used as a means of highlighting the significance of a building or space, act as a focal point or signify a gateway. Strategically sited, public art can allow users to identify places and help to improve the legibility of the urban realm.
  
  
• Public artworks can also be woven into the finer grain details of the public realm, for example as carefully sculpted tree guards, railings, signage or street furniture. Used in this way, it becomes an expression of Sheffield’s legacy of innovation and quality craftsmanship.
  
  
• A public art fund could establish a programme of major public art schemes. Following from this, partnership funding could be obtained from the private sector for the development of additional smaller scale projects.
  
  
• Commission permanent work involving local artists in hard and soft landscaping, street furniture, sculpture and lighting. These could include interpretive pieces which complement or express the architecture and environment of the city centre and the character of its citizens.
  
  
• Interactive visual arts using light and sound can further engage interest and add life to public spaces.
  
  
• A changing programme of temporary artworks can also stimulate interest. This could be in the form of rotating exhibitions by local artists and designers.
  
  
• Flags and banners provide vivid splashes of colour and movement within a city centre street scene. These can often be utilised to promote civic events, exhibitions or attractions. It is important that these visually powerful elements are integrated into the overall streetscape scheme. It may be appropriate for artists and graphic design studios to be closely involved with the city and streetscape design team in developing a coordinated approach to such elements.
  
  
• The public could have access to artists and the organisers of the visual arts programme with the provision of a telephone comment line, outreach programmes, active participation and artists in residence projects.

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