Place building: The contribution of art and artistic entrepreneurship

Abstract

Art is everywhere; we see it every day. Whilst much of it is created by artists and designers, some is natural. It might be art in a building, street art, sculptures or monuments, flowers in a garden or public landscaped space. These are often simply ‘there’ and free to see; but some people will pass by without really ‘seeing.’ Others might choose to visit a gallery or national park, knowing there is a charge. These encounters affect both their mood and feelings about that physical place. Because art adds value – economic, cultural (artistic and aesthetic), social, and enjoyment – it plays an important role in place attractiveness and place building. Art, though, can have both positive and negative influences; it can enhance a place and encourage visitors, whilst for others reducing the attractiveness. Some collectors pay significant sums for an original Banksy piece; others dismiss it as undesirable graffiti. Here: a taxonomy evaluating the contribution of art and value-creating artistic entrepreneurs in place building is offered and relevant themes are contextualised by 10 vignettes, two conceptual frameworks of the value-creation processes are presented; and opportunities available to those concerned with place building and place management are discussed.