Glendale artist works to make art more accessible with a smartphone app
Art in public spaces can be found all over the world, and one Glendale artist hopes his phone app will make them easier to find.
All Public Art is the brainchild of Graham Goddard, who wanted to create an index of public artworks onto which anyone can add.
“There’s a great representation of gallery artists around the world, but the guys who create on the streets, muralists, people who connect with the city to do commissioned artworks, very often do not have a great channel to show their works,” he said.
Join the conversation on Facebook >>
For example, the app can pinpoint if there are any murals nearby if a tourist wants to take in some culture in just about any city they visit, Goddard said. A map on the phone can then guide a person to the piece of art, he said.
“I’m an artist myself,” Goddard said. “I’ve been looking for a platform that would allow me to discover people and other artists I couldn’t find.”
Another goal for All Public Art is to create opportunities for artists to make a living.
They can list their work for sale similar to how it’s done on Etsy, Goddard said.
For an artist who uses public space as their canvas, they can list limited-edition prints of their work or other merchandise, he said.
All Public Art is headquartered on Brand Boulevard in Glendale and will have a launch event on July 9 at the Whole 9 Gallery, 3830 Main St., Culver City.
Ahead of the launch, 5,500 artworks are already indexed on All Public Art, and 3,600 artists are represented, Goddard said.
City officials say they welcome All Public Art in the downtown area because it’s adding to a budding local tech scene.
Jennifer McLain, the city’s principal economic development officer, said the new company joins the ranks of other tech companies in town such as Stashimi, YP and Legal Zoom.
“We are proud to have All Public Art call Glendale home, and we hope that other start-ups follow suit,” she said in an email. “It is an exciting time for All Public Art, and as a result, an exciting time for Glendale and its developing tech ecosystem.”
--
Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
