In 2017, Legacy Foundation hosted the Gary Public Art Competition, with support from the Knight Foundation Donor Advised Fund and the City of Gary. We funded eight artists to design, execute, and install their projects across downtown Gary. These works have sparked a renewed vibrancy and sense of community.
Many of these projects have been produced over the past year by local organizations, independent artists, and curators. A series of murals, creative sculptures, and custom bus shelters have been installed with a commitment to showcasing both emerging and established artists.
By bringing art outside the traditional context of museums and galleries, public art benefits the community and its visitors by increasing access to art and providing artists with opportunities to expand their artistic practice and market.
Gary Public Art Maps
If you see works of art around the city, share online and use the hashtag #PublicArt219 for your social media posts.
What is a Public Art Project?
A public art project is defined as a project conceptualized by an art or design professional for a public space. Historically, art that is accessible to the public has been in the form of freestanding artworks or objects that occupy a public space, such as sculptures or memorials, or architectural embellishments such as carved facades. Functional objects such as benches, trail markers, tree guards, or manhole covers may be commissioned works by artists. And now, in a growing number of cities, artists are working with architects, engineers, and landscape designers to create visually rich public spaces. All of these forms of public art make cities more interesting and unique places to live, work, and visit. A public art project may anchor and activate its site, enhance the overall environment, create a place of congregation and activity, or establish a new landmark and/or neighborhood gateway.
