Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) New Report: ‘Out in the Open: Rethinking Sustainability in Public Art Commissions’

September 11, 2025 (New York/London) - The Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) today released its latest research report, Out in the Open: Rethinking Sustainability in Public Art Commissions, developed with support from UAP | Urban Art Projects. Authored by Kat Pegler and Helen Kearney, co-founders of Kerbside Collective and specialists in creative sustainability, the report asks the central question: ‘how can public art projects be made more sustainable?” and reveals how cultural districts are activating networks locally and further afield to emerge as vital agents of change in the move towards creating works in ways that promote climate resilience. 

In presenting case studies from around the world representing different approaches – from taking collective action across networked geographies, to working at a district level, and to commissioning one-off sustainable artworks – the report explores innovative ways to think about and implement sustainable practices in public art commissioning. The report concludes with tangible recommendations and resources for future action.

Building on GCDN’s 2022 report developed with the City of London by the same authors, Sustainable Development in Cultural Districts: A Public Realm Perspective, this new publication underscores the need for a fundamental change in practice, and a transformation of the way cultural districts commission artworks. The report argues that cultural districts have a twofold role to play: firstly, as leaders in the field demonstrating how working practices can be adapted; and secondly, as storytellers of a new narrative that tackles questions of the climate crisis head-on. The report demonstrates how cultural districts around the world have started to embed sustainable practices into their commissioning of artworks. 

By examining public art projects from around the globe, the report shares best practices, raises awareness, and highlights pioneering efforts to mitigate against challenges in making commissioning public art more sustainable. The report showcases initiatives across different scales of influence and complexity, on different continents, and with different communities:

● At the network scale, the most complex organizing unit studied, the report discusses practices adopted for A Feral Commons, an innovative global co-commission led by Alserkal Advisory in collaboration with GCDN, that resulted in three separate installations exploring issues of place, community and ecology. Unified by a central curatorial theme and research-backed sustainability principles, site-specific projects were located in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai; Victoria Yards, Johannesburg, and Kingston Creative, Kingston. UAP provided technical assistance and a research framework.

● At the cultural-district scale, geographies defined as much by the concentration of arts and cultural activities as the relationships across community stakeholders and anchor institutions, the report explores work led by The Bentway, Toronto; Southbank Centre, London, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Athens; El Perpetuo Socorro, Medellín. 

● At the individual artwork scale, the report examines the artistic and sustainability practices adopted by independent projects commissioned for singular institutions from artists and collectives Michael Pinksy, Ned Khan, Lindy Lee, Matthew Barnett Howland, Oliver Wilton and CSK Architects; and Moment Factory & Tourisme Wendake.

“As an international membership organization committed to improving the quality of urban life through the contribution of the arts, culture, and creative industries, the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) recognizes the pivotal role that cultural districts play in sustainable urban development,” noted Gregorio Scarpella, Director of GCDN. “Sustainability has become an increasingly central theme in our programs, and we are pleased to share this report, commissioned on behalf of our members.” 

“This report explores how concerns of sustainability, climate resilience, and environmental impact are changing the way public art is commissioned, at different scales,” noted Stephanie Fortunato, Director of Special Projects, GCDN. “This is especially important as artworks can become powerful symbols for mitigating the effects of climate change and the practical application of reducing emissions. Furthermore, art possesses the unique ability to forge meaningful narratives and move people in ways that other sustainability-focused activities cannot, playing a vital role in creating a more sustainable future.”