Search and Discover Public Art Across Our City with ArtWalks

Partners: Greater Columbus Arts Council, Novvia, OSA Technology, City of Columbus Department of Health

The Challenge:

Redesign the GCAC Public Art database to create a more accessible and engaging search process, with the ability to build upon the repository – to tell a richer story of the artist and their work.

The Outcome:

A mobile friendly app to discover public art in Columbus neighborhoods and to provide art walks to the community for enhancement of public health.

Impact:

The ArtWalks app features 61 neighborhoods and 1,218 pieces of art.

Purpose

“More than just an urban backdrop, today’s public art is an essential part of our daily lives, transforming our cityscapes and communicating powerful messages of fear, oppression, power, and liberation” (Lesso, 2020).

There are over 1,000 pieces of public art in Franklin County that most residents are unaware even exist. 

We developed an app called ArtWalks in partnership with Greater Columbus Arts Council. This app allows residents to search among more than 1,000 pieces of public art in central Ohio by neighborhood or keyword, easily submit suggestions for public art not listed and explore collections around themes.

Through the app, we hope to encourage residents and visitors to explore art in their neighborhoods and across the city, celebrate and credit artists, encourage the health benefits of walking to explore public art and grow the main public art database managed by the Greater Columbus Arts Council at https://www.columbusmakesart.com/public-art.

 

“This resource [public art database] would not have been possible without the support and data sharing of more than 20 different entities across Ohio—from the Ohio Arts Council and their percent for art program, to the City of Columbus and City of Upper Arlington, Dublin Arts Council, the Ohio Statehouse, Columbus Metropolitan Libraries, the Convention Center, John Glenn International Airport, the Short North Alliance here in Columbus along with a number of others statewide.”

Jami Goldstein

Greater Columbus Arts Council

The ArtWalks app engages with residents through a blend of guided tours and includes built-in feedback features for continual improvement.

Community Insights

We participated in Rev1 Ventures Customer Learning Lab that was focused on validating products with the market rapidly. During the workshop we surveyed over 100 residents, with nearly 75% finding art where they are and learning about the artists very important. This process allowed us to define our serviceable obtainable market, conduct a competitor analysis, and seek residents’ feature priorities to test on the beta version of the ArtWalks app.

“This is a great opportunity for people to find ways into new neighborhoods. When we visit other cities we can always find wonderful public art!”

Resident

Rev1 Customer Learning Lab Survey

We collaborated with artists, curators, public art enthusiasts around Columbus, Ohio to inform ArtWalks 2.0 development.

In Fall 2020, we launched a beta version of the ArtWalks app with the support of the volunteers of Can’t Stop Cbus. To create this community resource for free during the pandemic was made possible with our partners Greater Columbus Arts Council, Novvia, and OSA Technology Partners. In the innovative spirit of Can’t Stop Cbus, ArtWalks 2.0 will be launching in the coming future.