Research
Asked about why cities should invest in urban art programs, we want to be able to answer without any hesitation. Academic research provides documentation and understanding of urban arts' dynamic and important role!
urban art
as a transformation tool
Nuancing societal problems and investigating possible solutions
Urban art intersects with a wide variety of perspectives, fields of study and academic professionals. For example, urban art can be studied by artistic scholars examining the artistic motif itself, but also analyzed from political, social and economic perspectives. All each with their own unique ways of defining problems and looking for their potential solutions.
Learning from practices in other cities and countries
Organzing urban art depends heavily on its context and therefore needs to be considered in each their own right. However, moving forward with urban art investments, one can draw on the various experiences of similar initiatives, making them less risky and more successful. As investments rarely include research, these well-documented cases are few but very important. Gathering cases from around the world will help others in making the best possible decisions.
Understanding the dynamics behind urban art in its context
Urban art often represents the culture, economics and politics of its area, from street level to national policies. Understanding its dynamic role on all levels, is important for meaningful cohesion and synergies in urban creativity efforts. Only by better understanding the dynamics, context and different layers of urban art, can we make statements about its value.
Contributing to future creative and cultural cities
We believe culture and creativity will have a central and significant role in the planning and development of future cities. In this new agenda, urban art can be an important piece. Understanding and researching the interconnectedness between art, social life and city development is necessary to understand not only the benefits, but also the potential tensions and vulnerabilties between the physical and human elements.
Understanding the nuanced, and perhaps largely unintentional, ways that street art benefits individuals and society could strengthen arguments regarding avenues such as festivals, “open walls” and other legal canvases in the street.
This knowledge could also inform the labyrinth of laws, policies and regulations that surround street art.
— Amelia Green, head of Street Studies’ research hub
OUR SERVICES
problemfind - theorize - gather - understand
Street Studies and our research hub offer a range of knowledge, documentation and research services. Our specialists cover academic fields including urban studies, art research, place branding, organizational theory, economics, sociology, cultural studies, architecture and more. Our team continues to expand year by year!
Very few organizations combine practical street art organizing with solid international research, making us a knowledge powerhouse in your next urban art project or program.
On bigger projects, we bring in researchers from universities catered to your specific needs. We will work alongside these knowledge partners in order to guide you and your team through the process.
OUR URBAN ART RESEARCH SERVICES INCLUDE
Sparring on urban art proposal terms/request for proposals
Support and challenge projects with valid and well-informed project documentation
Defining and finding problems relating to street art, placemaking or urban creativity
Finding plausible explanations of observed phenomenons
Guest speaking and facilitation of workshops
Below are 3 case examples, where you can see the potential projects to use knowledge and insights of urban arts to navigate the complex dynamics of urban change:
1 | Advisory Services
Cooperation with external partners is a core activity of our network. We have worked with municipalities, private companies and non-profit organizations to help them better understand urban art and creative city branding in their own context.
We cooperate on all levels from informal knowledge exchange, advisory services and joint research projects. We also establish contact between our members and private and public companies for mutual benefit.
2 | Workshops, Training, Seminars & Conferences
Add one of our experts to your next workshop, training or seminar. Based on your needs, we can find and connect you with the right expert on the topics you’re working on.
Get cutting edge insights into the world of urban creativity as you move forward with your own brainstorms or projects.
3 | Join the Research Hub
Our Research Hub offers a platform for networking, celebrating excellence and forging new partnerships in the fields of creative city planning, urban art research, and other forms of creative urban programming.
By joining the network, you will unlock many important benefits such as: access to peers across the globe and opportunity to join working groups or special projects teams. Street Studies Research Hub is increasingly involved in international creative placemaking events and conferences.
Publications from the network’s members
Read more about our RESEARCH HUB
our services are 100% based on NON-PROFIT PRINCIPLES
Meaning we:
work actively and passionately with UN’s SDGs
reinvest our net income from new projects within our mission statement
consume according to a strict spending-policy
engage in research to increase our overall understanding of and benefit to society and public spaces
And much more.
