WAM Turku City Art Museum has published a new ecological guide for public art in Turku. Intended for nationwide distribution, the guide outlines how the ecological sustainability of public art can be assessed and enhanced.

Developed as part of the Towards More Sustainable Public Art project—with support from the Finnish Heritage Agency—the guide is available in Finnish, Swedish, and English. It examines the environmental impact of public art throughout its entire life cycle, from material production to final disposal. It offers practical tips for reducing an artwork’s carbon footprint and for increasing its positive environmental “handprint.”

The guide was created in collaboration with a broad group of public art commissioners and artists from Turku and Southwest Finland. While some concerns were raised about the potential for increased uniformity in public art, the guide firmly upholds artistic diversity. It does not exclude any forms of art or materials from public commissions but instead emphasizes the importance of making informed, sustainable choices within each project.

Emissions from Public Art Under Review

“At WAM, we want to contribute to building one of the world’s best climate cities and a more sustainable future,” says Riina Kotilainen, Visual Arts Curator at WAM. “Going forward, ecological sustainability will be a key consideration in public art commissioning, from project design to the completed work. This guide also serves as an excellent foundation for dialogue between clients and artists throughout the procurement process.”

The guide is grounded in the planetary boundaries model developed by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, as well as international, national, and local regulations supporting the sustainability transition. Notably, it introduces—for the first time—emissions threshold values for public art, which should be carefully evaluated when exceeded.

In addition to principles and threshold values, the guide includes:

• A checklist for considering ecological sustainability at various stages of the commissioning process
• Sample phrases for use in public art assignments and contracts
• A short list of reflective questions for artists to evaluate their own practice

“This guide is the first of its kind. There is certainly room for further development, and some may propose alternative assessment frameworks,” says Project Coordinator Saara Korpela. “Still, this is an important step from vague discussion to concrete action. I encourage everyone to explore the guide, apply it where relevant, and help advance more sustainable practices in the field.”