American cities are looking for ways to reinvent themselves, to revitalize decaying downtown areas and to convey character and identity to the urban nodes and sprawling residential suburbs that seem to spring up over night where once there was only open land. The complex issues that surround the shaping of civic space do not lend themselves to a magic formula, however many communities are finding art, more specifically public art, a key ingredient in their own individual recipe for change.

Over the last twenty years hundreds of public entities have adopted policies that mandate the involvement of artists in capital improvement projects. Artists are transforming bridges and bicycle trails, train stations and airports, shopping malls and parks. Nationally, through varied combinations of innovative legislation and enlightened public policy, civic art programs are evolving and thriving. Models include traditional "percent for art" programs, where a percentage of the budget for public structures is allocated to art, as well as community-based initiatives, such as Project Row Houses, in Houston, Texas, and individual artist projects such as Socrates Sculpture Park in New York City. With solutions that cover the gamut from conventional art forms to functional design enhancements, artists are insisting that the acres of concrete and miles of asphalt that cities purchase annually do something more: tell a story or preserve a fragment of history, inspire us, commemorate our losses, make us stop and think or laugh.

Public art is a flexible tool, one with diverse applications and benefits. The most immediate is the conversion of a street corner or a lobby into a notable place. Artists have a unique way of seeing and a remarkable ability to make the quotidian memorable. In an era where "equality of life" is paramount in deciding where people live, work and play, the arts can be a defining factor. People choose to live in and visit communities that are physically attractive and culturally significant, communities in which the physical fabric of the city is remarkable and engaging.

Cities with active art and design programs have found they contribute directly to cultural tourism, with ensuing economic benefits. For example, when the Los Angeles subway system opened, the unique public art featured at every station was highlighted in several travel articles. Each urged tourists to visit the city"s new linear museum. 

Civic art also acts as a trigger for revitalization. In redevelopment districts and private development projects, aesthetic enhancements designed by artists are seen as low cost improvements with a high return, key factors in turning around a neighborhood or attracting customers.

Bringing together "public" and "art" requires a rare combination of genuine concern, outreach and public process. As such, public art can be an important building block in forging community identity and civic pride. Groups of people who come together with an artist to create murals on a derelict underpass, a tile bench in a park, or a series of temporary installations in a vacant lot, work together in unique ways. Each person contributes to different aspects of the project, from selecting the site to defining the story that the work will tell. Community members collaborate on raising the necessary funds or on securing governmental approvals. When the project is complete, the art changes the neighborhood, not only physically, but also by becoming a symbol of tangible change and accomplishment. In a similar way to community policing or neighborhood clean-ups, public art can be an empowering act, one which for many is exceptionally inspiring. 

At the same time the process builds a new understanding of the value of art in our daily lives. Art that is experienced not as a remote intellectual pursuit but as an accessible and concrete vehicle for social change can build new audiences for our museums and theaters. A neighborhood art project can be an introduction to a new world of cultural pursuits.

Successful public art leads by example, emphasizing the value of good design on all levels by making our cities more livable. A community"s art and design program can be at the heart of a renewed sense of the importance of the built environment. Public art projects often spark dialogue, which ultimately has a far-reaching impact on civic space. 

As cities address critical issues such as traffic, density and sustainable growth, public art is one of the layers of amenities that can be used to make increased density more attractive. It is a way of telling the story of a specific place, providing increased texture and meaning. Public art and design can be the vehicle by which we weave intriguing little details into the urban fabric as well as the foundation for the creation of landmarks of lasting value.

Over time, communities that embrace civic art profit from this fundamental truth: art has remarkable power as a force for change. Far more than adornment, art is an essential civic building block, a catalyst of contemporary urban life.