Car park activation: is it art?

Are car park art activations valid public art or lazy developer obligation? We look at the opportunities and trends.

Colour blocking in car parks is a ubiquitous form of wayfinding that we subconsciously register – Yellow = Level 3. But what if these incredibly high-volume traffic zones were a little bit more creative in engaging their captive audiences?

It is not a new idea; but we would like to think it was one that is ripe for growing.

One Australian arts company working in this area is Art Pharmacy. It takes its experience of working with developers and councils and pushes the idea that car parks can also be ‘culture parks’, capturing visitors earlier in their destination journey and narrative.

Unlock Padlock Icon

Unlock this content?

Access this content and more

Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's Senior Contributor, after 12 years in the role as National Visual Arts Editor. She has worked for extended periods in America and Southeast Asia, as gallerist, arts administrator and regional contributing editor for a number of magazines, including Hong Kong based Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. She is an Art Tour leader for the AGNSW Members, and lectures regularly on the state of the arts. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Instagram: fairleygina