Seeing is belonging: Why visual literacy Is key to community prosperity
Walk through any city and your mind is constantly decoding: signs, murals, symbols, slogans, adverts, memorials, graffiti. What we see in our communities shapes what we believe, how we feel, and who we think we are. Visual culture is not ornamental, it is foundational. It builds civic memory, frames local pride, and even influences political engagement.
Humans are, by nature, masters of visualisation. The brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text, and people retain 80% of what they see, compared to just 20% of what they read (3M/HubSpot). It is no surprise, then, that 65% of us are visual learners (SSRN). When the majority of the population interprets the world through images, the visual public realm becomes one of the most powerful tools a city has, yet it remains one of the most underutilised.
Meanwhile, private and commercial interests have monopolised this space. From advertising to algorithmic feeds, our visual environments are increasingly curated for attention, not intention. Generative AI accelerates this shift: Canva’s 2024 global survey found that 73% of business leaders increased investment in visual communication platforms, and 90% said AI has improved both quality and productivity. These developments reflect the rising value of visual content, but also raise urgent questions about authenticity, agency, and equity.
In today’s “era of dupes,” the difference between truth and imitation is often just good design. Whether it’s AI-generated art, luxury replicas, or misleading visuals online, the lack of visual literacy, our ability to critically understand and create meaning from imagery, leaves individuals vulnerable to manipulation.
That’s why our new white paper, Harnessing the Visual Public Realm for Community Prosperity, developed by the Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP) and Fast Forward 2030, and written by Marine Tanguy and Holly Norman, puts visual literacy at the heart of inclusive city-making. The paper launches this week as part of the London Design Biennale 2025, with a live panel discussion taking place featuring Marine Tanguy, Rayvenn Shaleigha D'Clark MA, FHEA, MRSS, and Keith Magee, chaired by Sherry Dobbin.
Working in partnership with MTArt Agency, an art sector talent agency representing some of the most talented, forward-thinking artists in the world, we draw on grassroots initiatives around the world to show what is possible. Advocating for a more imaginative, democratic, and literate visual culture. A culture where everyone can see themselves reflected and where what we see helps shape a fairer, more connected society.
We argue that visual storytelling, when embedded thoughtfully into our shared spaces can enrich civic engagement, support mental wellbeing, and strengthen community identity. Our cities are already visual environments shaped by art, design, and tech. What’s needed now is intention: who gets to tell stories in public, and how are those stories interpreted?
UNESCO underscored this urgency at its 2024 Global Media and Information Literacy Week in Amman, highlighting how generative technologies must empower not disempower citizens. Without visual and media literacy, people are left especially vulnerable to disinformation, algorithmic bias, and manipulation. Our white paper responds to this challenge exploring how art can reimagine public spaces to enrich civic engagement, support wellbeing, and strengthen community identity. It investigates the power of visual storytelling in our cities and presents policy recommendations and creative interventions that reclaim the visual public realm for collective benefit.
The paper also explores public art’s growing role in shaping a city's “soft power.” Governments and cultural institutions are turning to visual culture, from street art diplomacy to public design commissions as a way to project values and build social capital. In this context, reclaiming the public visual realm isn’t just about aesthetics it is about influence, equity, and belonging.
If we want our cities to be more than backdrops, to be platforms for shared identity, inclusive dialogue, and social progress then we must take the visual realm seriously. The stories told in public space are not neutral. They shape who is visible, who feels welcome, and who holds power.
By investing in visual literacy and embedding intentional, inclusive art into our streets and squares, we can unlock public space as a tool for connection rather than division, for truth rather than distortion. This isn’t just a cultural opportunity, it is a civic responsibility.
As Harnessing the Visual Public Realm for Community Prosperity makes clear, we stand at a crossroads, we can allow our cities to be shaped by commercial algorithms and aesthetic apathy or we can reimagine them as vibrant canvases of collective meaning.
Let’s choose creativity, equity, and visibility for everyone.