BKF has teamed up with the National Association of Municipalities (KL) to establish a new network that will strengthen the work with the professional visual arts in the municipalities. The first network meeting was held yesterday.
Representatives from a number of the country's municipalities attended a network meeting in KL on Wednesday to learn more about how the municipalities can work strategically with art projects in the public space.
The meeting was the first in the network that KL and BKF have set up and facilitate to strengthen the work with the professional visual arts in the municipalities. The municipal network must assist the municipalities with experience, knowledge and inspiration that can increase the quality and flexibility in the implementation of art projects in the public space, including both innovative urban development, temporary artistic projects and permanent works.
At the network meeting, through presentations and workshops, the participants got inspiration and tools for how to go from working randomly to strategic with art, how to elevate the concrete projects to the political level, and how to relate the artwork to other policies, strategies, etc. in the municipality.
"There is a great will to work with professional art in the municipalities, and many have missed tools for how this should be done. They are curious about what art can be in public space, and are very open to thinking about art and artists as part of, for example, area renewal, settlement strategy or citizen involvement. Some have been working with it for many years, while others are just getting started, but all have a great interest in sharing experiences. It is something that we ourselves become wiser about as advisers, and we look forward to the upcoming meetings in the network," says project manager Karen Mette Fog Pedersen from BKF.
The next meeting of the network is in November, where the topic is 'The operationalization of art projects', while the third and final meeting will be held in February 2023, where it is about 'Valuing art'.
Top: House artist project by Malene Nors Tardrup, Spotlight Festival 2017, Vejle.