Place-Based creative activations have gained popularity for their ability to redefine how we interact with both public and corporate spaces. These temporary creative activations are site specific artistic or cultural interventions that are able to transform spaces, leaving significant and lasting impacts on both the audience and environment. The exposure of digital art enriches the public and corporate settings. These activations add value to spaces, enhancing the visual experience of a particular space in a unique and compelling way.
In recent years, the growing influence of digital art and curation has continued to revolutionise the way temporary creative activations are experienced and designed. Art Pharmacy and Sugar Glider have been at the forefront of implementing digital elements into public and corporate spaces, engaging with the growing influence and impact of digital art and curation. Art Pharmacy and Sugar Glider’s implementation of digital art transforms installations into an immersive visual experience, moving beyond static displays to create ever-changing and dynamic spaces.
A key example of Art Pharmacy and Sugar Glider Digital’s expertise in this field was their work at the Purpose conference 2023, where they used interactive installations and digital art to create a meaningful and captivating atmosphere while Purpose introduced their presentations and speakers. The activations aligned seamlessly with the conference’s ethos of purpose driven business and sustainability, engaging the audience’s attention with the events main topics.
Placemaking is capable of transforming corporate or public spaces into meaningful and vibrant spaces that reflect the culture, values and needs of a business or community. It is a versatile approach to community engagement and urban planning and at its centre is creating public spaces that are meaningful, vibrant and welcoming to the people who use them. Temporary activations within urban settings inspire people to connect and engage in fresh, impactful ways. These interactions breathe life into spaces that might otherwise feel impersonal or unwelcoming, fostering a stronger sense of community and benefit local businesses by attracting increased foot traffic.
The City of Sydney’s Arts and Cultural Strategy 2025-35 emphasises the importance of embedding creativity into the city’s future urban development. The cultural strategy focuses on three key areas: protecting cultural assets, supporting the growth of the creative sector, and building a future that promotes diversity, inclusion, sustainability, and fairness for artists, creative industries, and cultural tourism.
Creative activations enhance a sense of community and engagement, helping to redefine the way people experience public and corporate spaces. The activations encourage communities to gather and interact with the artworks in spaces that might have otherwise been neglected or unassuming landscapes. These installations are sustainable, creatively repurposing existing spaces while remaining responsive to evolving community needs. Their adaptability is a valuable asset, allowing them to transform in alignment with the shifting demands of the community.
Art Pharmacy and Sugar Glider Digital bring placemaking to life with their installations, seamlessly integrating them into existing city design. Projects such as Victoria Cross Metro’s Urban Oasis and Sugar Glider Digital Art Show showcase the importance of aligning with the city’s strategic cultural and built goals. Digital art transforms spaces, adapting them for day-to-night use, providing increased exposure to the artwork for a wider audience. The integrated lighting of digital works not only enhances the visual impact of the artwork but also contributes to feelings of safety within the space, fostering a more inviting and secure environment for all who pass through.
Digital art continues to reshape interior design and placemaking by coherently merging traditional and contemporary approaches to public art, creating dynamic, interactive environments that engage communities in new and meaningful ways. Digital art, lighting, and sound technologies create immersive, adaptable spaces by transforming static environments into interactive experiences. This enhances multifunctional areas, enabling shifts in mood, purpose, and engagement.
The Urban Oasis at Victoria Cross Metro Station, curated by Art Pharmacy and Sugar Glider Digital, transformed this high-traffic space into a calming environment. By introducing seasonal digital artworks with biophilic themes, the project provided commuters with a visual escape amidst the urban setting. Featuring works by local artists like Juune Lee, Mia Forrest, and Sheldon Harrington, each piece reflected diverse cultural roots and explored themes of resilience and transformation. Seamlessly integrated within the station’s architecture, these temporary installations demonstrated how digital art can enhance commuter experiences, creating a soothing, reflective atmosphere in a busy metro hub. These installations offered commuters a refreshing pause, embedding Lendlease’s brand values into the daily journey while evolving the space into a cultural landmark.
Ultimately, place-based creative activations redefine how we interact with public and corporate spaces, transforming them into meaningful, vibrant environments that reflect and engage the values, culture, and needs of their communities. Digital art and innovative curation have proven to be powerful tools in this transformation, seamlessly blending tradition with contemporary design to create immersive, adaptable spaces that evoke meaningful connections. Art Pharmacy and Sugar Glider Digital exemplify this approach by elevating temporary activations into impactful experiences that engage, inspire, and foster a deeper connection to the spaces we inhabit. As cities and organisations increasingly prioritise creativity and community, the role of digital and place-based art will continue to enrich our shared spaces, contributing to a more vibrant and connected society.