| Abstract [eng] |
The master’s thesis analyzes collaboration between the municipality and the local community in the implementation of public art projects, aiming to reveal the concept, key characteristics, and practical experiences of such collaboration at the municipal level. In the context of the contemporary city, public art is understood not only as an artistic object in public space, but also as a social and cultural process closely linked to community engagement, the shaping of public spaces, and the strengthening of local identity. Public art projects often function as platforms for dialogue between municipalities, subordinate cultural institutions, artists, and local communities; therefore, their implementation is closely connected to cultural policy decisions, public governance practices, and different forms of community participation. In this thesis, public art projects are examined as a field of public governance practice, where significance is attributed not only to the final artistic outcome, but also to decision-making and collaboration. The object of the research is collaboration between the municipality and the local community in the implementation of public art projects, while the aim of the research is to analyze collaboration processes and the factors influencing them within the context of public art projects. To achieve this aim, three research objectives were formulated: to theoretically substantiate the concept of collaboration between municipalities and local communities in public art projects; to analyze the factors and obstacles influencing collaboration; and to propose recommendations for improving collaboration. The research seeks to identify how collaboration is conceptualized at the theoretical level and how it is realized in practice within the activities of municipal institutions. The study employs both theoretical and empirical research methods. In the theoretical part of the thesis, a scientific literature analysis was conducted to examine the concept of public art, the role of municipalities, and theoretical approaches to community participation, emphasizing the principles of participation, partnership, and co-creation. In the empirical part of the research, document analysis and semi-structured interviews were applied to analyze public art project planning and implementation practices from an institutional perspective in Šiauliai City Municipality. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the collected research data. The research findings indicate that collaboration between municipalities and local communities is theoretically associated with active community participation, partnership, and social inclusion; however, in practice, these principles are often implemented in a fragmented manner. The initiation, planning, and implementation of public art projects are characterized by a multi-stage and fragmented decision-making process involving the municipal administration, subordinate cultural institutions, various municipal departments, and committees. Consequently, decision-making becomes lengthy and complex, while the distribution of responsibilities is not always clearly defined. Empirical findings reveal that local communities are most often involved at later stages of project implementation, and their role is frequently limited to information provision, reactive participation,or episodic involvement,whereas decision-making remains predominantly at the institutional level. The research also demonstrates that opportunities for strengthening collaboration are related to clearer organization of decision-making processes, earlier involvement of local communities, more consistent communication, and the development of the educational function of public art. Based on the research results, recommendations are proposed to improve collaboration between municipalities, subordinate cultural institutions, and local communities in the context of public art projects. |
