Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/09/2025

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1.5 Significant Prior Research The foundational literature of this study includes research in the topics of public art, urban planning, place making, public choice, cross sector collaboration, and public administration applied to a case study review of contemporary art initiatives in three selected small cities. The documented history of public art discussion in America is long and dates to before the founding days of this country. The emphasis of this research will be on the history and purpose of contemporary public art (i.e., post 1960's) and its role in urban renewal and revitalization, and its current role as a cultural place maker in small cities. For this study, the process by which public art is created and implemented in small cities is important. This study will focus on the cross-sector collaborations that allow public art projects to be created and accepted by local communities. The installation of public art is a choice made by the social, cultural, and political interactions of various stakeholders within the community. For the purpose of this study, cross-sector collaboration is defined as: The linking or sharing of information, resources, activities, and capabilities of organizations in two or more sectors to achieve jointly an outcome that could not be achieved by organizations in one sector separately. (Bryson, Crosby and Stone 2006, P. 44) The theory of Public Choice will serve as one foundation for the discussion of cross- sector collaboration applied to public art. Public choice theory is an economic theory prominent in the field of public administration. Duncan Black (1948) is generally credited with developing Public Choice theory. The theory studies the interactions of voters, politicians, and government officials as mostly self-interested agents within the system. The theory is often used to explain why it is rational for individuals involved with the decision making process to develop policy 19