Temporary public art gives artists “opportunities they might not have otherwise,” said Kate D. Levin, the former commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs who currently oversees the Bloomberg Philanthropies Arts program. The process of obtaining approval for a work of permanent public art, she noted, often is much longer, requiring numerous meetings with government agencies and community groups, sometimes involving negotiations over land use. “With temporary, we are allowed to be more nimble, introducing artworks in a public sphere,” without as much fuss, “and allowing artists the flexibility to try out ideas that might not be as acceptable if their pieces were to be permanent.” Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Public Art Challenge program, which arranges for the installation of public art projects for between a few weeks to two years, often focuses on politically hot-button issues, such as climate change, homelessness, gun violence or food insecurity. Communities may not want permanent reminders of social ills, but shorter-term displays encourage discussion and make these themes more palatable.