Course on Public Art and Culture in Urban Space
Online course of 300 hours in public art and culture in urban space, structured in 6 modules covering art in public space, culture and the city, design and integration, art project management, and evaluation and impact, with an assigned technical tutor.
Course on Public Art and Culture in Urban Space — studying from Canada
Canada's infrastructure needs drive significant civil engineering activity, from highways and bridges to urban transit and water systems. Major transit projects in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Calgary involve rail, tunnelling and smart city technologies. Rail operators and suppliers, including Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National, depend on engineering expertise in track, signalling and structures. Provincial ministries of transportation and municipal engineering departments are key employers, alongside consulting firms.
Fees for Canada: 1,150 CA$ (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
What language are the programmes taught in?
All programmes are taught in English, which suits engineers working in English-language environments across Canada.
Will this qualification let me use the title Professional Engineer?
No. The title is regulated by provincial engineering regulators such as Professional Engineers Ontario or the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec. Please check their requirements directly before assuming any eligibility.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the evolution and debates of public art.
Relate cultural policies to urban transformation.
Integrate artworks into public space using technical criteria.
Manage competitions, contracts and copyright.
Involve the community in art projects.
Evaluate the cultural and social impact of public art.
Prepare a public art project for an urban area.
Who it's for
- Urban cultural managers.
- Public art curators.
- Municipal culture officers.
- Urban designers.
- Cultural mediators.
- Contemporary art conservators.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to join cultural administrations.
What you'll work with
- Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996 (consolidated Spanish Intellectual Property Act)
- Ley 16/1985 (Spanish Historical Heritage Act)
- Ley 20/2022 (Spanish Democratic Memory Act)
- 2005 UNESCO Convention (diversity of cultural expressions)
- 2003 UNESCO Convention (safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage)
- Ley 9/2017 (Spanish Public Sector Contracts Act)
- Orden TMA/851/2021 (accessibility of urbanised public spaces)
- SketchUp
- Rhino
- QGIS
- TouchDesigner
- Adobe Illustrator
6 modules
1.1History of public art1.2Monument, sculpture and contemporary art1.3New genre public art1.4Art and collective memory1.5Muralism and street art1.6Ephemeral art and festivals1.7Art and urban regeneration1.8Percent-for-art programmes1.9Debates on contested monuments1.10Case study: analysis of a public art programme
2.1Urban cultural policies2.2UNESCO Creative Cities2.3European Capitals of Culture2.4Local cultural facilities2.5Creative industries and cultural districts2.6Intangible heritage on the street2.7Urban festivals and rituals2.8Cultural rights and access2.9Culture and social cohesion2.10Workshop: cultural map of a neighbourhood
3.1Site selection3.2Relationship with the setting and scale3.3Materials and durability3.4Structural safety of artworks3.5Accessibility and sensory experience3.6Lighting of artworks3.7Integration with street furniture and landscape3.8Digital and interactive art3.9Sound art in urban space3.10Practical exercise: integration study of a sculpture in a square
4.1Public competitions and commissions4.2Curating and artist selection4.3Contracts and copyright4.4Community participation in art4.5Budgets and funding4.6Permits and municipal coordination4.7Maintenance and conservation4.8Vandalism and restoration4.9Deinstallation and relocation4.10Case study: terms of reference for a public art competition
5.1Cultural impact indicators5.2Use and appropriation by citizens5.3Effects on the urban image5.4Cultural tourism and street art5.5Risks of cultural gentrification5.6Inventory and cataloguing of works5.7Conservation plans5.8Communication and mediation5.9Participatory evaluation with the community5.10Practical exercise: inventory record for public artworks
6.1Urban context and community6.2Development of the curatorial concept6.3Analysis of proposed sites6.4Design of the intervention6.5Design of the participatory process6.6Budget and management6.7Conservation plan6.8Impact assessment6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
A 100% online programme on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulations and applied exercises. The working software is SketchUp, Rhino, QGIS, TouchDesigner and Adobe Illustrator, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures for studies of artistic integration in urban space, management of public art competitions and inventories of urban artworks. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996, Ley 16/1985, Ley 20/2022, the 2005 and 2003 UNESCO Conventions, Ley 9/2017 and Orden TMA/851/2021.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with SketchUp, Rhino, QGIS, TouchDesigner and Adobe Illustrator, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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