Public art is the most accessible art form we have… and it’s also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode, Samantha Hunt-Durán talks with Mirko Carnovali, Art Director at DiBari and Associates, about what it actually takes to bring large-scale public artworks to life: from research and concept development to engineering realities, permits, fabrication, and installation.

✨ In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• Why the best public art creates a sense of place + belonging (Mirko’s “emotional cityscapes”)

• The hidden steps most people never notice: materials, wind loads, climate, maintenance, bureaucracy

• The business reality: RFQs vs RFPs, proposal labor, and “finding a new job every day”

• Designing for communities you don’t live in (with a case study: Sun Salutations, Sunset Park, West Palm Beach)

• Why public art is the most democratic art form—and a misconception Mirko wants to correct

🔗 Resources + links:

• DiBari and Associates: https://dibari-id.com/

• Mirko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirkocarnovali/

• Mirko’s Instagram (digital art): @mcdigitalartist

• Sun Salutations project: https://dibari-id.com/project/sun-salutations/

• 1% for Art background: https://nasaa-arts.org/nasaa_research/state-percent-art-programs/

⏱️ Timestamps / chapters:

00:00 Museum Backstage Intro

00:42 Meet Mirko Carnovali

03:06 From Idea to Installation

07:11 Timelines and Teamwork

09:48 Costs and Misconceptions

11:58 Winning Public Art Jobs

14:37 RFQs vs RFPs

19:25 Advice for New Artists

21:59 Emotional Cityscapes

28:22 Story Beats Aesthetics

31:23 Why Feedback Is Rare

33:23 Feedback and Fairness

34:45 Who Is Judging

35:57 Designing for Strangers

37:29 Sunset Park Case Study

40:21 Emotional Cityscapes

41:50 Knowing the Balance

45:15 Public Art Is Democratic

48:12 Do Cities Get It

50:55 Mirko Origin Story

56:54 Digital Art and AI

58:25 Public Art Misconceptions

01:00:51 Links and Wrap Up

🎧 Listening prompt: What’s one public artwork that made you feel something—and why?

#publicart #urbandesign #placemaking #cityplanning #civicdesign #artsadministration #designthinking #creativeindustry #publicspace #museumbackstage