Public Art has the ability to affect people and place, increasingly attracting the attention of arts communities, academia and governments across the world.
The notion of art, and the concept of public, vary widely from one region or country to another, making public art difficult to define. This presents a set of challenges for researchers and professionals in the field.
Institute for Public Art (IPA) was established in response to an urgent need to increase the visibility and dialogue of public art practices internationally. The key aims of IPA are to:
Research and celebrate the contribution of exceptional artists to public art practices and place- making across the world, and to share this knowledge to advance and strengthen the field as a whole.
Establish and maintain a global network of professionals who share an interest in public art, its creation and its consequences.
Advocate public art, and excellence in public art, through competitions, publications, websites, the media and any other means, to bring it to the favourable attention of decision makers around the world.
IPA is a network that pursues these aims by managing the International Award for Public Art (IAPA). IPA also holds research network meetings and participates in conferences that bring together researchers and professionals globally.
Makoko Floating School, Kunlé Adeyemi, 2013.
Makoko Waterfront Community, Lagos State, Nigeria.
