Arte pública: que sentido na educação?

It is undeniable the growing interest, in recent decades, for public art that deserves and should be the reason for our attention. Students are no longer passive protagonists of social life and, consequently, of art that appears in their city. In this context, public art is called upon to play its role, opening and filling the ontological dimension of the human being, constituting a factor of social integration and intercultural communication. This means that public art does not only aim at aesthetic goals, but also cultural, political and social goals that shape a new educational scenario that will accompany the whole life of the citizen and that has to be revealed, considered and developed at school. This investigation discusses the importance of public art as pedagogical content in Education and aimed to analyze the perceptions of teachers regarding the knowledge and pedagogical relevance of public art in basic education. The qualitative approach was the methodological option, and data collection was carried out through individual interviews with teachers. The results indicate that teachers recognize in public art an educational interest that enables students to develop skills that contribute to their personal, social and cultural development.