Forecast’s consulting program, established in 1996, has markedly increased the presence of public art in Minnesota and beyond.
By creating collaborations between artists and communities, facilitating panel reviews, providing expert advice on materials and venues, securing permits, and performing other behind-the-scenes tasks that often become barriers to project completion, Forecast has been instrumental in ushering dozens of projects into the public realm.
As a consultant, Forecast has extensive experience in all aspects of the public art process, from planning and program development through selection and installation of artworks. We regularly partner with community organizations and other nonprofits to incorporate artistic elements, such as murals, sculptures and creatively designed functional elements into the infrastructure of community improvements. We often team with architects, landscape architects, urban planners and professionals in other fields to develop strategies, formulate calls for artists, contract with selected artists, oversee design/construction projects and prepare documentation.
In addition to a regional and national database of artists in all disciplines, and strong connections with public art professionals throughout the country, Forecast’s resources include thousands of books, DVDs, slides, and CDs that are made available to clients as needed.
Photo of Minneapolis’s Greenway Trail plan courtesy Close Landscape Architecture.
