urban matters

Institute of Art in Public Space Styria/ Austria

About Art in Public Space

Art in public space fathoms new opportunities for action. It examines situations, history, semantics and possibilities of the public to create nuanced perspectives that address sensitive issues and to discuss the variability, fragility and sensibility of the relationship between space, society, communication and life.

The Institute for Art in Public Space Styria considers itself an initiator, developer and enabler of reflexive positions within our society.

Initialisation and the best possible support of art projects that are realised outside closed spaces and museums in real-world as well as in digital or virtual spaces form the pillars of the Institute for Art in Public Space. Permanent and temporary works by regional, national and international artists of proven quality are developed and implemented all over Styria.

Questions such as What is public space? To whom does it belong? Who uses it? How do we approach and deal with it? Which political, social, economic and ecological issues does it raise, in addition to other topics of interest for our society? are publicly debated in this regard. Thematically oriented art projects in urban and rural environments illustrate these issues and make them accessible. A wide range of disciplines such as the visual and performing arts, literature, music and architecture, as well as interdisciplinary forms of contemporary art are taken into consideration.

Cooperations

The institute offers the following options for engagement:

• Artists: diverse, also interdisciplinary, project proposals by single artists and artist collectives as well as initiatives.
• Municipalities: project development by municipalities and cities, counselled and supported by the institute.
• The institute: program development and realisation of projects in consideration of relevant issues, and execution of competitions.

A project is realised after positive assessment by the Institute for Art in Public Space Styria and possibly an additional jury, and issuance of official permits.

Contact:  kioer@museum-joanneum.at

History of the Institute for Art in Public Space Styria

The Institute for Art in Public Space Styria was founded by the head of the Department for Cultural Affairs Styria based on the Styrian law regulating art and the promotion of art (enacted in 2005), and connected to the Universalmuseum Joanneum GmbH on August 1, 2006. Werner Fenz became the first head of the institute. 

Since August 2011, Elisabeth Fiedler has been the head of the Institute for Art in Public Space Styria. Together with the Austrian Sculpture Park, the institute belongs to the Department for Art in Public Space of the Universalmuseum Joanneum GmbH.