Creating Culture in Perth Through PUBLIC Art

By Nicola Blacker PUBLIC is the name of a groundbreaking project attempting to use street art to revitalise some of Perth’s drab inner city buildings and laneways. It’s the work of FORM WA, a not-for-profit organization, aiming to ‘explore creativity as a public good’ via the installation of artworks by renowned street artists in urban spaces around the city. Rebecca Eggleston, FORM’s General Manager, says PUBLIC aims to explore how arts and culture add value to our environment, the community and the city. She believes PUBLIC has shown local artists that Perth has a flourishing culture and vibrancy providing the opportunity to build a career here, rather than overseas. “The best and most vibrant places are those that nurture creativity, showcase diversity, insist on quality and are shaped with people in mind. That’s what we hope PUBLIC will contribute to for Perth, ” said Miss Eggleston. Miss Eggleston says the community response to the project has been overwhelmingly positive: 97 percent of people surveyed believe projects like PUBLIC are important for the city and 95 percent say similar events would encourage them to visit the city more. According to FORM WA, 90 percent of the respondents surveyed cited PUBLIC as their specific reason for visiting the city and added that while in Perth they spent money in the hospitality, retail and cultural sectors – expenditure which benefits local business and the economy. Artists have also reportedly experienced positive effects from PUBLIC, reporting a huge increase in demand for public artwork commissions The next phase of PUBLIC will be revealed early next year, with a continued, strong focus on building a creative and resilient future for WA. “We think Perth has all the potential and the timely momentum to capture the attention of the world stage as a progressive and unique place where interesting things can happen, if we get smart and creative about it now,” said Miss Eggleston. To explore PUBLIC or get involved with upcoming projects, head to FORM. To view some of the PUBLIC artworks, see below. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpn-PclZsRQ]