On 20 May, the RSA will be hosting a major debate with The Art Fund on the commissioning of public art on behalf of the Art Fund. A panel made up of Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry, Munira Mirza, cultural adviser to the Mayor of London, Andrew Shoben of arts group greyworld; Jonathan Jones, art critic for The Guardian will be discussing how far the cultural world trusts the public to commission public art. 

The debate is timed to coincide with a four-part Channel 4 series Big Art starting on Sunday 10 May at 7pm. The programme follows the successes and setbacks experienced by seven communities across the UK who were given the opportunity to commission public art themselves in a Channel 4 initiative called The Big Art Project. 

Big Art Projects were launched in Burnley, Mull, Newham in East London, North Belfast, Cardigan, Sheffield and St Helens.  

Michaela Crimmin of RSA Arts & Ecology has been closely involved with the Big Art Project as a Trustee is pleased to see the RSA taking part in the Art Fund scheme in this way:

"I have just been to the launch of the extraordinary – the wonderful – new work by Jaume Plensa outside Runcorn in Cheshire, part of Channel 4’s Big Art Project," she says. "This has been commissioned by a group of ex-miners wanting to commemorate the heritage of their previous industry; but with a positive rather than a nostalgic take. The artist and the miners worked with curator Laurie Peake and you could visibly see art expert, artist and local people thoroughly enjoying joining together to create something marvellous. I’m so interested to hear the debate here on 20 May – to listen to people’s views on the ideal balance of an art project in the public domain."

From figures on a beach to a giant white horse, there's been an explosion of public art commissioning in the UK over the last decade, not witnessed since the Victorian era. But the art for our public spaces is largely chosen by "experts" and committees. The public rarely has a say in what goes where.  This series, and the RSA/The Art Fund panel discussion will shed some light on what happens when they do.

Places at the debate are free but booking is essential. If you would like to attend please book using: www.theRSA.org/events or simply reply to: lectures@rsa.org.uk

Photo: Another Place by Antony Gormley, Crosby Beach, Liverpool, photo courtesy of jimmedia