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.1 <br />0 10 <br />R, 7r_a <br />Q r., <br />OEM- ki- <br />i� <br />T 5fr' <br />v � s° ti1a <br />�e <br />LEFT:"47 Stories" by Shira Walinsky and Laura Deutch in Philadelphia, PA. Commissioned by Mural Arts Philadelphia in collaboration with Southeastern Pennsylvania <br />Transportation Authority, 2017. Photo credit: Steve Weinik. RIGHT: "Union" by Martha Jackson Jarvis in Seattle, WA. Administered by the Seattle Office of Arts & <br />Culture and Commissioned with Seattle Department of Transportation 1 % for Art Funds, 2016. Photo credit: Spike Mafford. <br />SOCIAL COHESION <br />AND CULTURAL <br />UNDERSTANDING <br />Public art provides a visual mechanism <br />for understanding other cultures <br />and perspectives, reinforcing social <br />connectivity with others. <br />REASONING: <br />Public art supports communities by providing social cohesion and <br />encouraging civic engagement. Public art activates the imagination <br />through visual art and storytelling to emphasize the shared humanity <br />of civic spaces -allowing the individual to better understand strang- <br />ers and neighbors alike. Public art aids communities in visualizing <br />different perspectives through civic icons and infrastructure projects <br />such as train stations, traffic circles, hospitals, water treatment facili- <br />ties, and airports. By reinforcing the culture of a community, public art <br />acts as a catalyst for unity and social engagement. <br />DATA: <br />72 percent of Americans believe"the <br />arts unify our communities regardless <br />of age, race, and ethnicity. <br />EXAMPLES: <br />In Philadelphia, artists Shira Walinsky and Laura Deutch <br />utilized the 47 bus as a mobile gallery to showcase places <br />that are important to members of diverse communities <br />who live and work along the route. Quotations revealed <br />what interviewees love and value about the city. <br />n New York City, the project "Key to the City" provided <br />everyday citizens a key to unlock 20 public art sites across <br />the city's five boroughs. Participants could access ceme- <br />teries, community gardens, and police stations while initi- <br />ating conversations about belonging. <br />Located in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in Seattle's <br />Central Area Union, serves as a gateway marker to a his- <br />torically African -American community whom are becom- <br />ing increasingly displaced. The artwork was designed at <br />the request of community members who expressed an <br />interest in both landmark and gathering areas. <br />69 percent of the population believe 73 percent of Americans agree that <br />the arts "lift me up beyond everyday the arts "helps me understand other <br />experiences"" cultures better." <br />*Americans Sneak Out About the Arts. 2018 <br />