Invitation to submit a proposal for a panel at the Americans for the Arts 2020 Public Art & Civic Design Conference in Washington, D.C.:

The Challenges of Aging Permanent Public Sculpture in an Engagement-Focused Era

The public sculpture revival from the late 1960s to the early 1990s saw an increase in the siting of permanent public sculptures that reflected the taste for abstract modernism. In the almost thirty years since the end of that revival, the forms and ideology of public art have evolved, and these aging sculptures are now sited in a postmodern public realm that prizes physical and social engagement. The changes in the public realm that have impacted the function of permanent public art include the physical conditions of a site, changes in artistic styles and taste, and changes in cultural policies or ideologies that govern public art. The derogatory terms used to describe static public sculpture – ‘plop art,’ ‘plaza art,’ ‘plunk art’ – highlight the problem. This panel will discuss the challenges of aging permanent public sculpture, present cases studies, and brainstorm solutions.

The panel will be comprised of 4 speakers, each with a 13-15-minute presentation followed by a moderated conversation and Q&A. Session date and time: Saturday June 27 at 2:15p – 3:45p

Send proposals to join this panel to Tola Porter, the session organizer, at tolaporterwustl.edu.

Please include: Name, Title, Affiliation, Paper title, 100-150-word Abstract (for a 13-15-minute paper/presentation/case study)

Deadline for submission is January 1, 2020

The Americans for the Arts 2020 Public Art & Civic Design Conference in Washington, D.C. will convene 400 public art and civic design professionals from around the country to exchange knowledge, connect with peers, and explore both how this work is being done and consider the future of the field.

As a speaker, you will be eligible for a special $400 speaker registration rate. If you plan on only attending for the day of your session, you may also take advantage of the $275 one-day registration rate instead