We’re reaching a crisis point. In the United States, our social divisions and isolationism threaten to tear apart the fabric of democracy. Real and perceived walls divide us—from each other and from other nations. In the midst of these tensions, public artists and architects are responding by bringing to their work a renewed spirit of collaboration, increased attention to visible and invisible borders, and a focus on social justice and human dignity.

Leaders in public art and creative placemaking on how their disciplines will help shape—and even transform—our future.

How aware are planners that public art has evolved from the commissioning of objects and wall treatments into a sophisticated practice that addresses the challenges of practically every sector in our cities, our suburbs, and our rural communities?