Public Art Map and Database

About the Program

Category: Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation (Best in Category)

Year: 2019

Public art is an important community asset. It helps to create a sense of place and belonging, boosts economic vitality and creates opportunities for residents and visitors to connect with one another. In Macomb County, Michigan, installations of public art are widespread – with hundreds of pieces spread across its 479-square-mile footprint. However, finding that art was an issue, as there was no single resource for identifying the location of each piece or for providing background information.As a means of solving this problem, celebrating public art and helping cultivate greater appreciation for it, the Macomb County Interactive Map of Public Art was launched in August 2018.Using an assortment of technology-based tools, the county invited residents to contribute photos and information about public art across the county. The result is a crowdsourced map with more than 150 entries. Each entry includes a photo of the artwork and any known background information. In under a year, the map has been viewed more than 1,000 times with an average of four visits per day. Offering an ability to sort by location or medium, the map is inspiring residents to appreciate public art and discover new works in their communities.