When we step outside, what place are we looking for?
Art in public space and placemaking
Outdoor Arts Portugal
Third Version Creative is proud to have co-authored a chapter in this new publication exploring the future of public space and placemaking. Written by Sud Basu and Rachel Clare from Crying Out Loud, our contribution examines emerging trends in outdoor arts and the vital role the sector plays in shaping more inclusive, responsive, and imaginative civic spaces.
Our chapter reflects on how outdoor arts are evolving in the context of rapid social, environmental, and technological change. We explore new models of international collaboration, sustainability in touring and production, digital integration in live and public settings, and the growing importance of community co-creation. At a time when cities and rural contexts alike are being rethought through the lenses of equity, wellbeing, and climate responsibility, outdoor arts offer powerful tools for dialogue, participation, and shared experience.
Drawing on our work across the UK and internationally, we consider the challenges facing artists, producers, and policymakers and the opportunities to embed creativity more deeply into placemaking strategies. As this book argues, public spaces are not fixed backdrops but living environments shaped collectively. Outdoor arts help us reimagine these spaces as dynamic, co-created places of encounter and possibility.