The GCAC Public Art Strategy was introduced Oct. 22. Credit: Courtesy of Jami Goldstein
The Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) introduced the Greater Columbus Public Art Strategy, the city’s first plan to expand and fund public art across neighborhoods deprived of it, Oct. 22.
The strategy has been in the works since 2022 in partnership with Lord Cultural Resources, a global cultural consulting firm offering planning services for museums, art galleries and other cultural institutions, according to its website.
The strategy, available online on the GCAC website, includes guidelines, tools and recommendations for creating art in public spaces.
“Public art making is complicated,” Jami Goldstein, chief creative officer at the GCAC, said. “It is different in any city, and that’s why these recommendations are so important for the people of our community to help navigate the processes in Columbus and Franklin County.”
Goldstein said in the past, funding for public art in Columbus has often been tied to specific locations — typically in already developed areas — which has led to an uneven distribution of art across the city, leaving many neighborhoods deprived of public art.
“What we’re advocating for is being able to pool those funds so that public art can be more equitably distributed throughout our communities,” Goldstein said. “We would get more art downtown, but we would also get more art in neighborhoods that don’t have any art.”
Goldstein said part of the planning process involved gathering surveys from more than 2,000 Columbus residents, which were also translated into eight languages. She said neither GCAC nor the consulting firm anticipated such a large community response and the feedback played a key role in shaping the strategy’s direction and priorities.
According to the survey results, 84% of respondents said it’s extremely or very important to have public art in their community, however only 56% see it daily. Goldstein said she hopes the strategy can help change that.
Malcolm Cochran, a longtime Columbus artist and former Ohio State art professor known for works such as the “Field of Corn” and the Goodale Park Fountain, said the city’s new public art strategy is long overdue.
Cochran said public art is vital to understanding local history and encouraging people to think critically about their surroundings, something Columbus has been lacking in.
“Columbus has been so far behind other cities of our size in terms of having a public art program,” Cochran said. “This is really comprehensive in a very good way.”
Goldstein said the next step for GCAC is securing a dedicated funding source to support the strategy. The council currently supports smaller-scale projects through its Mural Assistance Program, a grant that provides funding for local murals, according to the GCAC website. She said the program has funded more than 80 murals since 2023, however those funds aren’t enough for large, long-term public art projects.
Cochran said he hopes the city will adopt a “Percent for Art” program, legislation that sets aside a certain percentage of the city’s capital budget for public art, which other cities — including Toledo and Philadelphia — have adopted. He said he’s seen firsthand how inconsistent funding has limited the city’s potential for creative growth, and although some cities allocate more than 2% for the arts, his ask is just 1%.
“We’re saying 1% toward the art, can we not afford that?” Cochran said. “[The strategy] is going to attract people across the country, at least, to apply to create work. That would put us on the map with artists.”
Goldstein said it’s important to consider the broader environment when planning projects. She said with a federal government shutdown and many people struggling to meet basic needs, community priorities must come first.
“We’re in this for the long haul,” Goldstein said. “I think we’re all trying to work towards making sure that our community needs are met in an equitable way across the human service sector and the art sector, and we just have to keep making the case for why the arts are an essential service and integral to human life.”
Cochran said he hopes the community supports the initiative and understands that public art contributes to the quality of life and robust culture in Columbus.
“I think that we are very fortunate in Columbus to be quite a liberal-leaning city, to have an enlightened city government,” Cochran said. “Yes, public art costs money, but there is value in it, I would say, that goes beyond eye candy.”
Goldstein and Cochran both said they are optimistic about the strategy, and believe the Columbus community will support the plan even amid political and financial uncertainty.
“Public art has the power to tell our stories — it can enhance civic pride, tourism and economic development, and it really ensures that the character of our region isn’t defined only by buildings and infrastructure,” Goldstein said. “I think infusing artists in our processes throughout government is the way that we can really set ourselves apart as a community.”
More information about the strategy can be found on the GCAC website.
