Public art can be a powerful tool for building better cities. As we move forward into the “rebuilding stage” of the pandemic, we cannot underestimate the impact the arts can have on everyday issues. Our governments cannot treat arts and culture as an afterthought – the first budget cut and the last investment made. The power of art as it relates to education achievement, creative economy investment, and economic development have to be considered.
The Stanford Social Innovation Review summed this up perfectly when they wrote, “[t]here is no discipline that nurtures and sparks the cognitive ability to imagine, and unleashes creativity and innovation, more than arts and culture. There is no approach that breaks barriers, connects across cultural differences, and engages our shared values more than arts and culture. There is no investment that connects us to each other, moves us to action, and strengthens our ability to make