Public art installations often get dismissed as wasteful spending, but I've seen a neglected alley transform into a community gathering spot after a local mural project. The economic uplift from tourism and small business growth around that area was measurable within a year. Yet, I've also walked past abstract sculptures that feel like empty gestures, serving no one but the artist's ego. Is funding for public art a justified civic investment or a luxury we can't afford when basic services struggle?