A new study into public art in urban landscapes has revealed how thoughtful design strategies centred on contemporary urban sports can reimagine how diverse communities use public spaces. Using public art as a catalyst for social change can foster inclusion, nurture creativity, and promote wellbeing; when not designed well, it potentially deepens urban issues such as gentrification or exclusion, the research revealed.

Led by Dr Sanné Mestrom, Senior Lecturer in Visual Arts at Sydney College of the Arts, and Dr Indigo Willing, a skateboarder, sociologist, and Visiting Fellow in the Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre, also at the University of Sydney, the study highlights the role of public art and urbanism in addressing social issues in cities. 

“Public art and urban sport side-by-side can revolutionise our approach to city planning, particularly as a way to empower adolescents and address the underrepresentation of young women, non-binary individuals, and other non-traditional users of urban spaces,” said Dr Mestrom, an expert in play and urban design, and leader of the public art project Art/Play/Risk. 

“Good public art can transform typically unwelcoming urban landscapes into inclusive canvases for creative expression and play.” 

The evolution of urban sport

Contemporary urban sports, including skateboarding, parkour, roller skating and BMX, have evolved from youth and subculture movements to competitive sports on the world stage. 

“The rise in popularity of urban sport culture gives us a huge opportunity to harness public art as a tool to create urban landscapes and public spaces that are dynamic, inclusive, and safe,” said Dr Mestrom. 

“If you think about the contemporary urban sport infrastructure that exists today, what comes to mind may be something quite brutalist and intimidating in form – for example, a concrete playground with no colour, garden, or areas for parents to sit,” said Dr Willing, Churchill Fellow and founder of SkateCER, a research project exploring how creative urban sports contribute to building socially inclusive and healthy cities. 

“Our research shows that well-designed public spaces can promote opportunity and act as a bridge between diverse cultures and perspectives. That could be by creating a sense of community for people from all backgrounds, providing the infrastructure for young athletes to develop their skills and work towards a professional sporting career, or through nurturing creativity and expression.” 

Conversely, public art can also be misused as a superficial solution that deepens social inequities, the researchers warned. 

Elaborating on ‘artwashing’, wherein public art acts as a band-aid solution to urban issues, Dr Mestrom said, “Artwashing can conceal existing challenges such as exclusion and gentrification in high-density cities, by viewing art solely as something that should be beautiful or visually appealing rather than utilitarian, and by creating and installing art without consulting communities or amplifying local voices to understand what they need and want from their urban spaces.” 

“Our research is helping us understand how and why we need to reimagine spaces that empower communities, while making sure that we, as artists, architects and designers, are holding ourselves and our local councils accountable for our contributions to art in the public realm,” she added. 

Skateable sculptures 

Based on extensive research by SkateCER and Art/Play/Risk including seven co-design workshops, Dr Mestrom developed a series of art sculptures designed to be interacted with and installed in public spaces to encourage urban play. 

“After listening to local communities in our workshops, I designed three sculptures that are skateable, scooterable and parkourable to show how thoughtful design can bring value to urban spaces that’s more than just decoration,” she said.  

The sculptures were installed outside the Chau Chak Wing Museum during the Art/Play/Risk symposium held recently. Symposium guests interacted with the sculptures and notable skaters were invited to skate them, including Olympian Poppy Starr Olsen, backflipping wheelchair athlete and founder of WCMX & Adaptive Australia Timothy Lachlan, and Nicky Hayes, Arrernte man and the founder of Indigenous led Spinifex Skateboards. 

“It’s incredible that we’re able to bring together a range of people to the University of Sydney to collaboratively explore ways we can address the role of public art and create shared spaces that are inclusive, playable, and for everyone to enjoy,” said Dr Willing. 

Photo credit: Christopher Landenberger