5 Reasons Why Public Art Matters for Businesses

Public art by Zoe Flores (@starlight._.studios)

Why should we invest in art anyway?

I remember fondly a professor I had in graduate school who constantly was trying to tell me (an artist) that art has no utility and no intrinsic value. This idea is not just a problem faced by artists, but by scientists, developers, innovators, and any others that Oscar Wilde might say "see the sun before the dawn."

Like so many other people, my professor wanted hard evidence that art brings value to a community just as taxpayers want to know why paying for research into the study of astrophysics, upgrading technological infrastructure, and committing to developing public transportations want to know.

Bottom line: why is this worth the money?

That's a very good question that I am thrilled to answer.

But this conversations extends far past what value does art bring tax payers, the far more compelling truth is that businesses can benefit from public art just as much, if not more, than taxpayers in terms of return on investment.

And, you don't need to jump through the hoops of bureaucracy to bring public art to your establishment (usually, but that's a blog for another day).

Here are just 5 fundamental reasons why art brings value to your business -- taking it beyond a mere place of commerce and turning it into a treasured piece of the community.

This data comes from Lynn Basa in her book, The Artist's Guide to Public Art (Second Edition). Basa relays the importance of public art from a governmental and taxpayer perspective and I am using her data in conjunction with our experience working with small businesses to create this blog.

Economic Growth and Sustainability

Art, because it is a human expression, fosters growth and sustainability in a community. Public art shows members within a community as well as those who visit (in-person or online) that the community is thriving. According to Basa, "70% of Americans belive that the 'arts improve the image and identity' of their community" (7).

Let's unpack what this looks like for a business: We'll use an easy example we're all familiar with: a coffee shop. If you are posed with two coffee shops, one whose aethetic is corporate, stale, and replicated thousands of times across the world and a second whose aesthetic is unique, warm, and inviting.

Public art by el Inx (@inx1)

When you see the first online, you won't think second about the experience. You're going to get coffee. The second, however, offers you something new. Perhaps it's simply a coffee shop with a theme about books. They have books on the shelves, art from scenes of different books on the walls, and a wonderfully kitchy menu with book themed coffees. (We all know that dark roast blend would be named after Mr. Darcy).

What is the second offering that the first isn't? The promise that you might find something new: a new book, a new philosophy, or maybe just a new coffee favorite.

When a community is no longer dependent on the cold, calloused, corporate copies of franchises, it shows that it is populated by a people who value something deeper. They value investment in themselves, in their families, and in their city.

It shows a community that values growth. And, where there is growth (true growth, not inflation) there is economic opportunity.

2. Attachment and Cultural Identity

Public art at Pitt BBQ by Alejandro and Shelby Castanon (@alejandro.fine.art)

Art directly affects how people see and connect with not just a business itself, but the city it sits within. When people have access to businesses that make them feel seen, they become loyal to those businesses beyond a way that they can begin to truly put into words. Basa states that "providing access to aethetics that support its identity and making residents feel appreciated and valued" (7).

What this is saying is that by investing in art that touches the people in your community, you make them more than people whom a business might mine for profit and, rather, make them patrons who will integrate your business into their culture.

Let's take another example: a bar. A bar that wants to imbed itself into a community will lend itself to what the community values. This becomes even more symbiotic when a business owners leans into their own passions.

Let's say that a bar owner grew up loving science fiction. If this business owner takes the risk to invest in not only their passions, but their community's then they can create something where the community can use to foster a deeper sense of connection and grow the community (meaning more customers).

This owner would use art accross their bar to celebrate the big names in science fiction: Star Wars, Star Trek, H.P. Lovecraft, H.G. Wells. This bar could host movie nights, trivia nights, book clubs, art battles, and host city events all based around their passion.

What this does more than a run-of-the-mill bar is it shows people not only are they are not alone, but that their passion is so cherished that someone invested the money, time, and energy to turn it into culture.

3. Artists as Contributors

Artists are microconnections in a large network of a community. Artists tend to be self-employed and spend a lot of time working not just with business owners and local art collectors, but with members of the city government and non-profits.

They are a great bridge to connections that you may not even know you need yet for you business. Trust me, as an artist, it's rare that we can go to the grocery store in our city without running into someone we know -- it's just the nature of the business. We're the busy bees in of a city's economical garden.

Collaborating with artists fosters not only a better local economy that keeps the money in the community, but it interlinks more local opportunities between organizations, schools, businesses, and government which only serves to benefit everyone -- including the greater community as a whole.

A community that supports artists, again, shows that the community is thriving enough to reinvest in itself. It demonstrates to the people who live in a city (and those interested in relocating or visiting) that the city is a safe place that cares about the experience of those living within it -- which, in turn, generates true economic and cultural growth.

4. Social Cohesion and Cultural Understanding

Public art at Old Central Firehouse by Alejandro Castanon (@alejandro.fine.art)

When we see someone wearing a t-shirt of our favorite sports team or tv show we get a little jolt of excitement. Why? It communicates to us there are people around us who we share a connection to -- it validates our beliefs and makes us feel just a tiny bit safer.

Art is no different. What it does is "provides a visual mechanism for understanding other cultures and perspectives, reinforcing social connectivity with others" (Basa 7).

This means that in an uncertain world, when we fear that we don't fit into a group or community, art reassures us in ways language never can and makes members of a community feel certain they are where they belong.

A great example of this is art that celebrates diversity. One example is when art is used to promote LGBTQ+ rights. What it's actually doing is both announcing to the world that this community cares about the members who identify with LGBTQ+, but also signals to the world that this business and/or community is a safe space for them to come to.

Another great example is art that promotes the welcoming and rights of different ethnicities and religions. Art that shows solidarity with a minority shows those within the community that they are not just accepted, but wanted and it demonstrates those outside the community that minorities and their rights are protected.

5. Public Health and Belonging

Finally, because art created by humans fosters a sense of safety beyond words (see our blog post about the humanity of art here), it inevitably lends to generating an environment where humans are healthier, happier, and more cooperative.

Communities where art is not only celebrated, but integrated foster a humanitarian culture where humans, now safe to practice authenticty, will feel secure enough to start their careers, their own families, and their own communities.

Cities where a microcosm such as this exists become self-sustaining and begin to thrive as they have used art to nourish a foundation of culture. When humans feel safe, they are free to create, to solve problems, to take risks. This is where humans begin to innovate and progress. It is this optimal state that turns cities into communities, experiences into culture, and businesses into legacies and it all starts with art.

While these ideas may seem lofty and abstract, the United State has been funding public art to support the economy, bolster moral, and improve the lives of its citizens since the Great Depression.

It's what has turned towns into cultural monoliths like Austin (in the 1980s/90s), Portland, or New Orleans, in addition to dozens of others. It takes the fledgling steps of local leaders to see what their business could be before it is, what a city might be before its population has grown and more businesses have arrived.