Public art: A local authority perspective

Despite having been discussed as a force for economic and social regeneration for over three decades, public art has only recently appeared in UK central government policy. Using the results of a questionnaire survey of Scottish local authorities, this paper addresses the attitudes of governmental bodies, upon whom responsibility for the implementation of public art lies. A 94% response rate enables an extremely accurate analysis of the existing attitudes, policies and levels of implementation. The geographical and demographical diversity of the country is reflected in a range of opinions that encapsulate many issues relevant to the provision of public art. Although the conclusions confirm that there is a concentration of provision in high-visibility areas, in particular the central belt towns and cities, there are also exceptions and encouraging signs elsewhere. However, differences in interpretation, general policy statements with little evidence of successful implementation and uneven financial support illustrate the inadequacy of the frameworks in some areas.