Public Art and Creative Placemaking

About this course

This course explores the role of art in shaping cities: the impact on the built environment, but also social, cultural, and economic implications.

From murals and protest art to third places and cultural districts, we examine how artistic practices transform public space, engage with people, and influence urban development and city branding.

What really counts as public art? Is graffiti vandalism, or one of the city’s forms of expression? Who has the right to create in public space? Is public art a tool for empowerment, or for gentrification? How can we move from temporary artistic projects to lasting cultural change? How do we sustain creative voices in cities where the market leaves little room for the “small players”? And what happens to urban art in the age of AI?

Through case studies, exploration in Copenhagen, and guest lectures, you will learn to think critically about urban art and examine how it can transform spaces and support local communities in a meaningful way.

Faculty

Mathilde Riou

Faculty

Masters (Urban Studies, KTH Royal University of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, 2017). Masters (Civil Engineering and Urban Planning, National Institute of Sciences (INSA) Lyon, France, 2016). Project manager in sustainable and participatory urbanism, Wigwam Consulting, 2017-2020. Freelance process consultant and visual facilitator for urban projects, The Urban Mycelium, 2021-present. With DIS since 2024.