Eighteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

In recent years, discourse on the link between the arts and mental wellbeing has emerged with a great sense of urgency, particularly in navigating times of crisis. This narrative is largely absent from the built environment: public art has historically fulfilled a purpose outside of the emotional realm. Accordingly, my transdisciplinary research connects the arts and community wellbeing to public space and cultural planning. Within the domain of public art and public space design, participatory trauma-informed practice can be leveraged as a therapeutic tool to support a community’s healing journey following a collective trauma. Based within the Australian (New South Wales) context, my research employs rich methodologies; combining analyses of international literature, comparative case studies, cultural policy contexts, and professional perspectives. Findings underscore three guiding principles for trauma-informed practice in the urban environment – community participation, site responsiveness, and transdisciplinary collaboration. Leveraging the role of collective memory, my research explores the powerful ways that public art and public space design can move towards a community agenda of healing.