Conceptualized by Anna Bloom, the ArtAroundSF app looks to open your eyes to the beautiful art in and around the city -- as often it goes unnoticed and mistaken for cheap vandalism. It is their mission to show that this is not the case.
To make the app work, a library of the art around the city must be built. Anybody with the app can take a photo, upload and add the piece of art into the app's archives. This way, a virtual museum is built where people can find fresh public art, comment and then go see it for themselves -- in person. A comprehensive list of categories include murals, architecture, statues, markets, galleries.
This tool is an ingenious way for the public to learn about and uncover unseen wonders of their own city. Hopefully this app launches in Toronto soon, I am itching to have a personal tour-guide.
What's Driving This Trend
- Public Art-documenting Platforms
- Developing user-friendly apps and websites that allow the public to document and share photos of public art can foster community engagement and appreciation for urban art.
- Virtual Art Museums
- Creating virtual museums through public art documenting platforms can help showcase urban art to a wider audience, allowing for new ways of experiencing public art.
- Art Tourism
- Public art apps, websites, and tours can encourage tourism around public art landmarks, revitalizing cities and contributing to local economies through cultural tourism.
Who This Affects Most
- Tech
- Developers can create innovative public art documenting platforms that leverage AI and augmented reality technologies to enhance user experience.
- Tourism
- Public art tours and virtual museum experiences can attract cultural tourists to cities, whose purchases contribute to local economies.
- Urban Planning
- Urban planners can utilize public art documentation to better understand the cultural significance of public art landmarks, and strategically incorporate public art into urban plans.
