"I believe that effective art is more about process than project" is a statement we don't often hear around here.

Dear Leader's public art alleys.

Pay close attention to the street piano scenario described below, and never forget the lessons we learned from ours.

ASK THE BORED: In 2015, the New Albany Street Piano was utterly perplexing Team Gahan's artistic sensibility.

Are those dogs still playing poker?

PUBLIC ART: PROJECT VS. PROCESS, by Gracen Johnson (Strong Towns)

It's Public Art Week at Strong Towns. For the next few days, we'll be discussing the value of art in public life, the impact of public art on our neighborhoods, and how to ensure that public art is created by and for the people, not through a top-down process.

Should public art be above the scrutiny of “return on investment”?

When procured by the city, I think public art is as worthy of debate and investigation as any line item in the budget. Its “return” is difficult to evaluate if you believe, as I do, that art has intrinsic and immeasurable value. Nevertheless, you can still ask if an investment in public art is achieving what you set out to accomplish.

Just as Strong Towns does not advocate growth, but productive growth, I believe there is a way to advocate effective art. And just as we do not have a formula or solution for productive growth, but rather an approach to development, I believe that effective art is more about process than project.

• FIRST, ESTABLISH WHY YOU WANT PUBLIC ART IN YOUR CITY.
• IF PUBLIC ART IS BEAUTY THAT CAN BE ENJOYED BY EVERYONE...
• TO ILLUSTRATE, A TALE OF TWO PIANOS.
• IF THE GOAL OF PUBLIC ART IS TO MAKE A PLACE FEEL SPECIAL, BEWARE OF PROJECT VS. PROCESS
• IF THE GOAL OF PUBLIC ART IS TO CHALLENGE OR MAKE A STATEMENT...