Praktyki crowdfundingu w sztuce publicznej

Abstract

Crowdfunding is a form of funding projects (business, scientific, social, artistic, etc.) based on small but numerous payments, collected mainly through Internet communities. The article presents the current state of interest in this form of public art funding, both in Poland, and abroad. The analysis of crowdfunding websites shows several features of this mechanism used for public art funding. It encourages artists to engage in more active participation on the Internet, especially on social networks’ level, which is particularly important in the all-or-nothing financing system. Crowdfunding also encourages people to be more active citizens, as financial support for specific projects in the field of public art is not only an endorsement, but also a real act of participation in the processes of creation of public space. On the other hand, crowdfunding has very limited ability to control and influence the artistic and social value of projects. Reliance on the “wisdom of the crowd” may therefore lead to the promotion of mediocre initiatives, neither presenting a high aesthetic value, nor bonded to the space in which they are to be found. There are also other risks associated with crowdfunding of public art, such as the risk of rollover of such initiatives from public institutions (e.g. local governments) solely on the shoulders of citizens, or the lack of intellectual property protection.