Johannesburg is home to an extensive portfolio of public art. A diverse and evolving city, Johannesburg boasts a vibrant art scene and a variety of works that range from sculptures to murals to pieces by internationally renowned artists like William Kentridge and Gerhard Marx’s Fire Walker. Many pieces are developed through community workshops, such as the Vilakazi Street sculptures. Others are functional, such as street furniture found in Hillbrow and the City Centre.
As part of the Johannesburg Development Agency’s (JDA) policy to make city areas desirable to potential investors, the organisation has identified public art as a successful means to improve the urban experience of the city, while empowering South African artists at the same time. Due to this a percentage of every JDA project is allocated to a public art installation as part of the project.
The public art project in Johannesburg has brought city spaces alive. The art hopes to attract the public into spaces they wouldn’t usually venture, while drastically improving areas and providing a living record of Johannesburg the city and society.