working pArts is a public art consultancy practice founded by Geoff Wood in 1997 and specialising in the effective integration of art into the working lives of towns and cities. The practice offers expertise, consultancy and commissioning services that focus on the contribution art can make to the development of a humane society.

working pArts has a national reputation for developing public art projects of strategic significance to the urban public realm. Our approach is based on detailed research into the place and its users. Our aim is to establish how the city or place works, understand its dynamics and determine how these affect residents and visitors and then propose ways in which art and artists can bring benefits.

Our track record:

• Setting up and running complex art in architecture programmes
• Developing mechanisms to involve local people in the creative
  processes of public art
• Piloting artists on design teams in public transport systems
• Pioneering the use of citywide artists’ lightworks to improve
  safety, orientation and image
• Harnessing art and artists to negotiate a humane coexistence between
  roads and their adjacent communities
• Developing funding regimes using PFI, Lottery, Local Authority,
  Sponsorship or ERDF/ESF
• Building support through advocacy among elected members and officers
  as well as business and community forums
• Developing collaborations between artists and other design disciplines

Our services:

• Policy Papers
• Feasibility and Project Planning
• Urban Design and Public Art studies
• Setting up Art and Urban Design collaborations
• Planning Art in Transport Projects.
• Arts in Healthcare Planning & Strategy building
• Advocacy Services to Board Members, Chief Officers and Elected Members
• Public Consultation, Workshops and Seminars
• Setting up Design Teams including selection procedures and contracts
• Project Management
• Marketing and Public Liaison Programmes
• Education and Community involvement and participation strategies
• Conferences, seminars and lectures
• Document writing, brochures and promotional literature
• Project evaluation
• Funding strategies
• Funding bids