action statement for public art
foreword
The national capital is home to a diverse and diverting
collection of public art and we Canberrans have the pleasure
of enjoying the work of some of Australia’s finest artists as
we go about our daily lives.
Public art doesn’t just beautify our city. It is a means of
remembering and celebrating who we are as a community. It
can inspire us and it can challenge us.
Public art is one of the most important ways that the ACT
Government contributes to the cultural life of our city.
This Action Statement for Public Art is the first of its kind for
the Territory. While much public art of immense value has
been commissioned in the ACT – by both ACT and Federal
Governments, and by the private and community sectors – no
framework has yet existed to guide our approach to public art
across the city as a whole.
The Australian Government, through the National Capital
Authority, has developed Guidelines for Commemorative
Works in the National Capital, which address some public art
planning issues for the areas under its jurisdiction.
The Action Statement relates to the rest of the ACT
— the spaces we occupy and inhabit every day. It gives an
overview of existing collections and a framework to guide
the development of these collections in the future. It
establishes new approaches to government commissioning,
and encourages the private sector to play a bigger role in
the commissioning of new artworks. Crucially, the statement
also recognises the need to care for and promote the
Territory’s significant existing collections.
Many of the issues and opportunities discussed here were
raised in workshops involving local stakeholders, artists
and public art professionals. Industry bodies such as the
Property Council of Australia (ACT Division) and the Royal
Australian Institute of Architects (ACT Chapter) also made
an important contribution.
Last year I established an ACT Public Art Panel to advise
the Government on new commissions and the existing
collection. The Panel is already playing a crucial role in
bringing a greater focus and a more stringent eye to the
Government’s public art activities.
The actions contained in this statement will help make
Canberra a city that represents ‘… the best in Australian
creativity, community living and sustainable development’
(The Canberra Plan 2004). They will also put into effect
a number of the actions set out in the Government’s
overarching Action Statement for the Arts, Arts Canberra.
I commend the Action Statement for Public Art to you and
trust that in the months and years ahead you will enjoy the
emergence of new public art works in your city, and perhaps
stop, spend a few moments with some old favourites, and
reflect on how public art enriches the lives of everyone who
makes this city their home.
Jon Stanhope MLA
Chief Minister and Minister for the Arts
action statement for public art
The ACT Government is committed to commissioning new
works of public art, encouraging the non-government sector
to commission new works and caring for the existing
collection.
This Action Statement provides a brief overview of public art
in the ACT and details the principles, processes and actions
that the Government will follow to deliver its commitments
to public art over the next two years.
These elements are addressed under the following headings:
Public Art in the ACT
New Government Commissions
Non-government Commissions
The Existing Public Art Collection
public art in the act
This section explores some of the different roles public art plays in our city and the
different forms that public art can take.
Public art gives us the valuable opportunity to experience
quality works of art in our everyday environment. It can also
provide opportunities to celebrate and to reflect on who we
are, where we have come from, and where we are going.
Every part of our city tells a story about our community’s
history, values and culture. A quiet grove of trees in
a busy urban setting, such as Glebe Park, tells us that
our community values the experience of nature, spaces
for quiet reflection, and outdoor play. A more formal,
modern city place, such as Civic Square, tells us that our
community takes city governance seriously and values a
modern symbolic space to gather for civic events. A vibrant
urban precinct, such as Garema Place, reveals our pleasure
in coming together to eat, shop and enjoy community
celebrations.
While the forms our public places take tell us about our
values as a community, it is the finer details of these spaces
that engage us on a deeper level, making us feel these places
are genuinely ours.
In Civic Square, Tom Bass’ sculpture, ‘Ethos’ represents and
connects us with the Graeco-Roman beliefs that underpin our
city’s democratic and inclusive governance. The Ethos figure
celebrates the civic pride of Canberra and the fabric of her robe
is richly embossed with emblems and figures representing the
community. The ACT Memorial on Ainslie Avenue provides a
touchstone to remember local veterans who have defended our
country and its values. Meanwhile, at Kambah Shops, Matthew
Harding’s flock of ‘knitted’ steel sheep takes a more whimsical
look at our region’s history of European rural settlement.
Public art makes the unique experience, character and history of
our city’s public places more visible and accessible. And beyond
this, as the best art does, it gives us new experiences, tells us
new stories and gives us new ways of seeing the everyday.
Public art enhances our city’s vibrancy, diversity of
experience and local sense of place.
Some recent new commissions include artworks that
acknowledge the Ngunnawal people’s presence in the
ACT, that celebrate our community’s enjoyment of Lake
Ginninderra and that contribute to a more positive
environment in the Visits Area of the new ACT prison, the
Alexander Maconochie Centre.
The term ‘public art’ is used here to refer to artworks that
enrich our experience of public places.
Although public art is usually thought of as free-standing
sculptures, it can take many other forms.
Public art can be integrated into street furniture, paving and
street lighting; into architectural or engineering projects such
as building facades, bridges and roads; and into landscaping,
even through a special choice of plants. Public art can even
take the form of a performance in a public place.
Public art can be the work of artists, designers, crafts people,
musicians and/or performers. Public art projects will often
involve collaboration with the community and with larger
design, planning, engineering and/or construction teams.
Each public artwork has a lifespan. This may be momentary,
in the case of an artwork created to be set on fire to
celebrate the commencement of a festival, or it may be
hundreds of years, in the case of a granite pedestal unveiled
to celebrate the inauguration of a new city. Public art can
exist for minutes or millennia.
new government commissions
This section details the principles, processes and actions the Government will
follow in planning for and commissioning new artworks in our city.
Principles
Processes
•The Government will seek to commission artworks in a variety of contexts including:
- major capital works projects
- existing public facilities
- public place refurbishment
- memorials
- temporary art events in public places including performance
- projects to mark significant events
(eg Canberra’s Centenary).
•Percent-for-art Scheme – Under the Government’s Percent-for-art Scheme, the Government will commit an amount equivalent to 1% of the new capital works program in a financial year to public art projects.
•The Government will fund works through a Percent-for-art Scheme linked to the annual capital works budget.
•The Minister for the Arts will receive advice from the ACT Public Art Panel and artsACT regarding proposals for new commissions on an annual
basis and will consider progressing these proposals through Percent-for-art Scheme funding.
•Proposals from agencies to include a component of public art within significant capital works projects will also be considered.
•The ACT Public Art Panel will advise the Government on all new commissions. This will include processes for attracting suitable submissions, evaluating submissions and project management.
•The Government will continually refine its commissioning processes to achieve value for money and provide realistic opportunities for artists to create high quality innovative artworks.
•The Percent-for-art Scheme allocation will be managed by artsACT with the advice of the ACT Public Art Panel.
•One or more representatives of the ACT Public Art Panel will sit on the evaluation team for each major new Government commission.
•Advertising, administration, approvals and project staff costs will be met from within the percent for arts scheme allocation, and up to 5% will be preserved for ongoing repairs and maintenance.
•The Government will provide opportunities for local artists to develop their skills and compete for commissions at all levels.
•The Government will seek the input of relevant community stakeholders when planning for significant commissions.
•
artsACT will play a lead role in planning for and coordinating all new Government commissions including the provision of advice on commissioning processes.
Actions for the next two years
•New commissions and acquisitions
The following public art projects will to be completed in this period:
-Major Canberra Artwork
-Alexander Maconochie Centre Artwork
-Weston Child and Family Centre Artwork
- Gungahlin Drive Extension Artworks
-Clare Holland House Hospice Garden
Project Artwork
- QEII Family Centre and Calvary Hospital artworks Depression Clinic artworks
-The Percent-for-art Scheme will fund additional projects in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 Budgets.
•Commissioning processes
-Commissioning processes will be regularly reviewed in response to feedback and the number and quality of submissions received.
-Feedback will be sought from all applicants, who received briefs for new commissions.
10
•Consultation
-A community stakeholder representative will be invited to contribute to the artists’ brief for each major new commission, where possible.
-A community stakeholder may be asked to sit on the selection panel to assess artists’ proposals where practical.
• artsACT’s role
- artsACT will maintain a database of all current commissioning activity.
- artsACT will ensure that the ACT Public Art Panel provides advice on all major Government commissions.
- artsACT will manage all major new Government public art projects.
11
non-government commissions
This section introduces the Government’s commitment to encouraging the
non-government sector to commission public artworks.
12
There are many examples of artworks in the ACT that
have been commissioned by the non-government
sector. Examples include works commissioned by private
developers such as Ante Dabro’s ‘Dancer’ in the plaza of
Brindabella Business Park, which was commissioned by
Canberra International Airport Executive Chairman, Terry
Snow in 2005; works commissioned by non-government
organisations such as ‘The World Peace Monument’ in Glebe
Park which was presented to the people of Canberra by
the Life Foundation in 2001; and works commissioned by
private patrons such as John Downie’s ‘Father and Son’ in
Garema Place which was presented as a gift to the people of
Canberra by the Hon. Alexander Downer in 1964.
The Government is committed to improving and supporting
the development of high quality design in the built
environment of Canberra. This commitment is reflected
in The Spatial Plan, and is also built into the development
approval process. For example, Site Analysis Guidelines and
Statements of Design Intent form an essential part of any
development application.
Private Sector Public Art Scheme
The Government is currently working with the private sector
to develop a Private Sector Public Art Scheme which will
encourage property developers to commission high quality
public art as a part of major new development projects.
Public art can enhance building design in a range of ways:
through engaging an artist-planner to provide input to
project design, by engaging an artist to collaborate with
other design professionals during project development, or
by commissioning new or erecting existing artworks as a
part of building works. This could be a single ‘stand alone’
artwork, a series of artworks, or even integrated public art
elements.
The Government will work in partnership with the private
sector to develop a private sector public art scheme for
release in 2007.
The Government welcomes proposals for new artworks
from the non-government sector and is in the process of
developing information to assist in both the commissioning
process and understanding what Government approvals
may be required to proceed with a proposal. For further
information contact artsACT on 62072384.
13
the existing public art collection
This section outlines the Government’s commitment to caring for and promoting the
existing collection.
The ACT Public Art Collection includes major stand-alone works across Canberra,
artworks in public facilities such as hospitals and schools, and artworks that are
incorporated into buildings, pavements and street furniture.
Artworks are currently cared for by a range of agencies and a project is currently
underway to document all of these works in a comprehensive database.
Increased access to the collection is being achieved through the growth of the
online database of public artworks which can be accessed at www.arts.act.gov.au.
14
Principles
Processes
•The Government has responsibility for the ongoing care and maintenance of the ACT Public Art Collection. This will include regular cleaningand maintenance
and may on occasion require the completion of a conservator’s report.
•Proposals to relocate or decommission works will be presented for the consideration of the ACT Public Art Panel who will assess the proposal in accord with the agreed guidelines. The artist will be consulted where possible and the Panel will advise the Minister for the Arts. The Minister will make the final decision.
•The ACT Public Art Panel will advise the Government on issues impacting on the existing collection.
•Information about individual works in the collection should be readily available, including plaques which identify the title of the work and the name of the artist that created it, along with other relevant details.
•From time to time individual works will be reviewed regarding their condition and location. This review will be undertaken in accordance with guidelines developed by the ACT Public Art Panel and approved by the Government.
•Where possible the artist that created the artwork will be consulted in regard to activities which are likely to have a significant impact on their work.
•Proposals that impact on existing artworks will need to address the original context for the commission, a rationale for the proposal and a strategy to consult with the artist and other identified stakeholders, as a minimum.
•The Public Art Panel will be regularly informed of
issues which are likely to impact on the public art collection, and will be advised on priorities for expanding and updating the public art website, the Civic Public Art Walking Guide, plaques and other public information on the collection.
•Templates for plaques will be standardised with the advice of the Public Art Panel and approved by the Minister for the Arts.
•Templates for plaques will be provided as a guide to non-government sector organisations who may be commissioning public art.
15
Actions
•Expand the collection to include a number of major new commissions (page 10).
•Complete guidelines for assessing proposals to relocate or decommission artworks to ensure
the collection is responsive to the changing character of Canberra’s community and urban places.
•Update and republish the Civic Public Art Walking Guide to better promote the central role of public art in our city.
•Extend the online database to include artworks in Belconnen, Tuggeranong and Gungahlin Town Centres to provide better online access to the collection.
•Undertake annual repair and maintenance programs to maintain existing artworks in good condition.
•Complete comprehensive database of ACT Government holdings of public art and formalise asset management responsibilities to ensure all works are being adequately cared for.
16