Hidden Agendas - Art in the Public Realm
Axis devised this one day event staged in Holbeck Urban Village, Leeds, brining together over 40 individuals - artists, academics, planners, arts officers, entrepreneurs, commissioners and students, all with a particular interest or stake in public art. It offered an important critical forum for the issues raised by Situation Leeds, the city's first contemporary visual arts festival which focused on the theme of 'art in the public realm'.
Cecilia Andersson, a freelance curator, based in Liverpool opened the day by explaining its backgroun and outlining its objectives.
Three artists - Becky Shaw, Michael Pinsky and Tom Woolford had been commissioned under the auspices of Axis to propose imaginary public art projects for the newly designated Holbeck Urban Village with a notional budget of £20,000 and with a series of parameters to work to. They each presented their proposals to the conference.
This was followed by a debate which raised interesting and vital questions about the changing meanings and contested nature of public art and urban space.
Follow this link to the Axis website to read the full report of Hidden Agendas, written by Dr Gillian Whiteley, University of Leeds and Loughborough University School of Art and Design.
