Art Practice as Policy Practice: Framing the Work of Artists Embedded in Government

Abstract Embedded artists in government incorporate connect art methods and esthetic perspectives in non-arts contexts, working in collaboration with government staff whether through their own professional choice or through a formal program established by a government agency or arts organization. This article contextualizes embedded artists in government in connection to artist residencies in the art world, arts in non-arts contexts, and creative placemaking to understand how work is framed and to demonstrate potential impacts while making suggestions for future research. Benefits include cross-sector collaboration and idea generation, with the potential for agency culture shift and systems change in how civic work supports residents.