Tanguy, Marine; Norman, Holly; (2025) Harnessing the Visual Public Realm for Community Prosperity. UCL Institute for Global Prosperity: London, UK.

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Abstract

The visual public realm – the images, symbols, and messages that populate our streets and shared spaces – plays a profound role in shaping the identity, memory, and lived experience of urban communities. Yet in cities across the globe, this shared environment is increasingly dominated by commercial interests. Rather than serving as spaces for civic expression and democratic participation, many urban settings have been reduced to transactional zones where individuals are addressed primarily as consumers. This shift undermines local identity, public health, and collective wellbeing – eroding the commons in favour of private gain. The IGP and MTArt Agency view the visual public realm not merely as a visual backdrop, but as a powerful platform for sparking civic dialogue on pressing contemporary issues – from environmental sustainability and social justice to representation, beauty standards and combatting disinformation. As explored in this paper, and supported by a growing body of scholarship (Kucukali, 2023; Sharp et al., 2005, Hall and Robertson, 2010), socially engaged public art and visual storytelling can reshape relationships with place, strengthen cultural belonging and contribute to inclusive, community-led urban futures (Olsen, 2019; Bonnett, 1992; Hawkins, 2013).

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