Recent art literature, artists, and art theorists view contemporary public art as means of creating open space by which information, ideas, and concepts can be exchanged freely. However, this work tends to fall short of explaining why this space is created. Although the literature on social movements recognize the importance of art as a cultural product that can mobilize resources, frame national and international contention, and social movement identity, social movement scholars do not discuss the active role of the artist in creating art. Building on the two bodies of literature, I claim that the interaction between politics and culture is established by public artists consciously choosing to emphasize functional over formal aesthetics in their artwork. This study examines the ways in which artists transform their role from artists to activists through the creation of their art. Relying on secondary sources, a content analysis of ten cases of public art was conducted. Results indicate that public art does not necessitate the redefinition of aesthetics to raise public awareness and direct social change. This study demonstrates how the dynamics of cultural production have the potential to affect new forms of activism.