Salzburg Global Fellow Cleo Barnett highlights the power of public art to reclaim spaces, amplify stories, and ignite social change
Cleo Barnett participated in Salzburg Global's Culture, Arts and Society session on "Creating Futures: Art of Narrative" from April 6 to 11, 2025.
On a sunlit mesa in Arizona, a Hopi grandmother cast her first ballot, hand in hand with her grandson. They stood before a polling station, inspired by an image that had traveled far and wide, featured prominently in local newspapers—the primary source of media for many in rural communities. The artwork depicted a Native woman framed by the vibrant hues of ancestral lands and cultural symbols. “For many of us, this newspaper IS our internet, and we do pay attention to these messages!” she said. This wasn’t just a piece of art—it was a call to action, a reclamation of voice.
This story, like countless others I’ve encountered, illustrates the transformative power of public art. My journey into curating public art began with a simple desire: to revitalize public spaces as places where people could strengthen their communities and reclaim their agency. In 2009, while living in my hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, I noticed a growing disconnection in my community, driven in part by the design of our shared spaces. Too often, public spaces failed to invite people to gather, learn, and build power—core foundations of a thriving democracy. This realization sparked my exploration of how public art could reconnect people and empower communities.
Over the years, as I worked with artists around the world to curate immersive installations, I saw how art could spark connection, foster belonging, and serve as an educational tool. Yet I also witnessed how media monopolies and profit-driven systems dictated much of our consumption, influencing identities and behaviors in ways that often alienated us. People, caught in the grind of survival, saw their sense of community—our most essential connection—gradually breaking down.
These trends mirror the hallmarks of authoritarianism: concentrated power, erosion of civil liberties, and narratives designed to divide and suppress dissent. In such contexts, public art becomes more than a creative outlet—it emerges as an act of resistance, reclaiming spaces and imaginations from control. As we face an era of increasing division, we must not only consume art but champion it.
For nearly a decade, I’ve served as Director at Amplifier, an organization that partners with artists and cultural influencers to amplify the most critical movements of our time, providing communities with tools to strengthen compassion and foster critical thinking. Most recently, we continued our long-term partnership with IllumiNative, a powerful Native-led organization founded by Crystal Echo Hawk, to tackle a longstanding issue: voter suppression in Native communities across the U.S.
Despite Native Americans gaining the right to vote in 1924, systemic barriers—such as distant polling places, lack of voter ID, and disinvestment in infrastructure—continue to suppress their voices. According to a report by the Native American Voting Rights Coalition, many Native voters face significant obstacles due to geographic isolation and inadequate access to voting facilities. Leading up to the historic 2024 U.S. presidential election, Protect the Sacred and Arizona Native Vote led powerful efforts to inspire voter turnout in partnership with the Hopi and Navajo Nation (Diné) communities of Arizona. Supported by IllumiNative and Amplifier, these Native-led organizations used art and culture to spark engagement and empowerment, contributing to a significant increase in voter participation. Both older and younger voters engaged in ways not seen in previous years, transforming civic participation into a shared, intergenerational act of resilience and pride.
The public art installations organized by Protect the Sacred and Arizona Native Votes thrummed with life and purpose, uniting communities in a shared act of resilience and creativity. On the mesa, the rhythmic sound of horseback riders echoed as intergenerational groups rode side by side, embodying the unity and strength of their communities. Families gathered, waving large flags emblazoned with bold, vibrant artwork that celebrated cultural pride and resilience. Along dirt roads, community members staked powerful visuals into the earth, transforming familiar landscapes into living canvases of resistance and hope. Stunning imagery, showcased in public spaces and local newspapers, ignited conversations that bridged generations and inspired collective action. Public art didn’t just beautify these spaces; it mobilized them, sparking dialogue, fostering empowerment, and challenging entrenched systems of control.
There were moments in my journey when I doubted whether a single piece of art could make a difference. But witnessing a grandmother and grandson vote side by side reminded me that even in the face of systemic barriers, art can spark hope and action. I’ve seen firsthand how a single image can shift a conversation, how a mural can transform a neighborhood, and how public art can inspire entire communities to act.
Public art resists surveillance and fear—the tools of authoritarianism—by reclaiming public spaces as sites of expression. It amplifies stories erased from mainstream media and invites us to envision futures rooted in equity and unity. These acts of creativity are not passive; they are radical disruptions to systems designed to divide and suppress.
Support the artists in your community. Create spaces for public expression. Share artwork that moves you, challenges you, and connects you with our shared humanity. Together, we can reclaim the public sphere, fostering a culture rooted in equity, authenticity, and collective hope.
Cleo Barnett is a New Zealand-born creative director, public art curator, and impact strategist based between Guadalajara and Los Angeles. Cleo designs campaigns that ignite action and empower collective transformation. As Executive Director of Amplifier, she has led historic campaigns that challenge societal norms and inspire collective empathy, distributing tens of millions of iconic artworks designed to shift culture on a mass scale. At the core of her work is a belief in art's ability to foster empathy, reimagine systems, and unite communities in times of change. Collaborating with renowned artists and cultural leaders, her work brings art into public spaces to amplify social justice and environmental movements and drive meaningful change. Over the past decade, Cleo's work, spanning global public art campaigns, immersive cultural experiences, and multimedia storytelling initiatives, has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, and on NASDAQ screens, reaching classrooms across the U.S. and cultural institutions like the Brooklyn Museum and National Geographic.
