Public Art and Antiracism Organizing

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By TAHLIB

Mock-up of an abandoned art project in Indianapolis which excluded
both the Arts Council of Indianapolis and the African American community

INDIANA--When selecting Public Art, how much "public" voice is part of the decision-making process? Over a decade ago, at Northern Kentucky University, the university's most prominent work of Public Art was labeled "Racist Art" by Blacks but defended by Whites as "Fine Art". Who selected the work? It wasn't the Black community. After years of bitter debate, it was finally moved to a non-public location as part of the Art Department. Today in Indiana, the Arts Council of Indianapolis is leading a national Call-to-Artists to create a work of Public Art reflecting the African American experience, and in the process the Arts Council is putting the "public" in the driver's seat. The process is simple but the process isn't easy. Tackling issues of racial exclusion in the Arts is never easy, but the Arts Council of Indianapolis has created a true decision-making "partnership" between the Arts community and the African American community, and in doing so is also putting "public" into Public Art. The deadline for artist proposals is Monday, July 8, 2013: www.IndyArts.org/ArtOnTheTrail.