Enhancing Neighbourhood Safety Through Public Art: Activated Spaces and Safer Streets
In an ever-evolving urban landscape, the role of public art offers more than aesthetic value; it contributes to the actual and perceived safety of public spaces. Now widely accepted as a deterrent to graffiti and vandalism, the strategic placement of public art has shown to increase perceptions of safety and reduce antisocial behaviour. Programming events such as street festivals increase visitation rates during off-peak periods and well-positioned street features act as effective traffic calming tools.
Selected case studies below highlight how public art initiatives have not only enhanced the aesthetic value of places, but also fostered a sense of safety among residents.
A study conducted in 2019 by Cities Research Institute at Griffith University, investigated three cities - Townsville, Gold Coast, and Tooowoomba which utilised public art for urban renewal. Townsville Council reported a 73% reduction in individual tags following the revitalisation of the laneways and a 46% drop in removal costs. Reduction in antisocial behaviour was widely noted by survey respondents along with an increased ‘sense of safety’ due to better visual amenity and increased pedestrian and cyclist activity at the subject sites. The survey respondents further recognised the benefits of redirecting negative behaviour (vandalism) into positive outcomes (public artwork) and the educational opportunities that were presented by facilitating youth involvement in creating public art for the community.
By injecting arts and culture activities strategically into the urban landscape, public art projects encourage the use of public space during different times of the day, the week, and across the seasons. Such is the case for the City of Sydney’s Art & About festival which transforms the public realm into temporary galleries to showcase innovative artworks. The festival started as a month-long event but after the City recognised its benefits to the public realm, it adopted a year-round calendar of projects that could pop up at any time, in any corner of the city. Public participation through engaging in the arts helps to create lively and activated spaces, increasing passive surveillance and perceptions of safety.
Additionally, public art can enhance road safety through pavement features which act as visual cues to reduce speed or prepare for hazards. The Asphalt Art Safety Study completed in the USA in 2022 assessed the effectiveness of asphalt art as a safety improvement strategy. The study compared the crash rates before and after installation of artworks across 17 study sites in both residential and urban settings. After installation, researchers found a 17.3% average reduction in crash rates and a 36.5% decrease in those that resulted in injury, suggesting the artwork positively influenced the drivers’ behaviour at the site locations. By incorporating public art into street design, cities can promote pedestrian safety and create a more walkable environment.
In essence, public art offers a more passive approach to community safety than the presence of CCTV cameras or security guards. Strategically-placed public art discourages the elements of urban life that may suggest an unsafe environment such as graffiti, antisocial behaviour, or speeding cars.
Public art is a powerful tool for promoting road and pedestrian safety, celebrating a sense of community, and increasing community stewardship. Policymakers, stakeholders, and urban planners would benefit from recognising the value of integrating public art into urban design strategies to create safer and more vibrant communities.