The Role of Participation in Public Art Projects: A Case Study of The Public Art Laboratory in Murino, St. Petersburg

The thesis proposes to assess the role of public participation in the preparation, creation and evaluation of public art projects, and to identify management practices that could increase the effectiveness of such interactions in the creative sphere. Following the case study approach proposed by Yin (2018), public participation is studied using the example of the Public Art Laboratory in Murino City, Leningrad region (Russia). The analysis is based on differentiated data collection methods including primary and secondary data, and covers the problem of public participation from the perspectives of three groups of stakeholders: art managers, artists, and the public. The case was analyzed based on the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model integrated with Spectrum of Public Participation introduced by the International Association for Public Participation. The results outline the values of participation in public art as perceived by different stakeholders and demonstrate which type of participation is the most appropriate in this context. The study aims to fill the gaps related to public participation in arts and culture, and offers practical insights for art managers seeking strategies of co-creation. KEYWORDS: Public Art, Art Management, Co-Creation, Public Participation, Art Laboratory, Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model