Public Art Proposals

Council’s vision is to improve the community’s cultural experience through the enhancement of public space through public art.

The benefit of public art is that it will:
• Add to the distinctiveness of Place.
• It is a way of expressing and telling a story.
• It identifies the uniqueness of a place in the present or past or describes its aspirations for the future.
• Well managed Public Art projects provide the community and visitors to the Southern Downs with an opportunity to connect with local stories and values.
• Community run Public Art projects are an opportunity for residents to connect with each other whilst gaining skills and celebrating and sharing matters that are significant to the community.
• Public Art that employs professional artists in the development of the project enriches the cultural life of the community whilst developing skills.
• Public Art provides economic, tourism and educational benefits for the community by providing points of reference and understanding of the region.
• Enhancement of the quality of urban and open space environments through the sensitive placement of locally relevant and meaningful Public Artworks.
• Artwork held in trust through Council may be shared around the region.
• Public Art offers the opportunity for community engagement with the built environment and is a mechanism to undertake community consultation and determination.

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All proposals for the development or acquisition of Public Art must be submitted to the Public Art Reference Group for assessment and recommendations to Council. 

Each application will be assessed in accordance with the Public Art Policy and against the criteria outlined in the Public Art Procedure.

Please answer each question in this application with as much detail as possible to assist the Public Art Reference Group to understand your project, its benefits and intended outcomes for the community.

Please read both the Public Art Policy and Public Art Procedure before commencing your application.  

If you require assistance or have any questions, please contact the Community Services Coordinator on 1300 697 372.

Describe what the project is about, where it will take place, who is the primary audience, what will the outcome be and what research has been undertaken to support the project and concept:

Public Art should be of benefit to the community. Describe the benefit to the community, which community will benefit from the project, identify how the community finds out about and engages with the project and what community needs will the project meet:

Identify who is involved, who are the community stakeholders, who will be the project manager, what artists are involved, who will audit the budget, if the project is a group project who are the office bearers and what groups or individuals have been consulted:

Include concept drawings of proposed artwork, photos or computer generated concept pictures. Include as many views as possible, i.e. from various angles and if possible illustrated as if in situ:

Please upload a detailed budget including artist fees, fabrication costs, insurance, project management, in kind support, grants and other funding, sponsorship, administration costs, transportation, installation, maintenance.

An estimated cost for future maintenance and repairs should also be included in the budget. This amount should be determined after discussions with the artist, appropriate restoration experts and Council staff that have responsibility for the asset, which will generally be the location that the asset is located.

Attach a risk assessment of the project. Risk assessments must include consideration of all aspects of public safety, vandalism and work health and safety management.

Detail information including: project start date, community consultations, meetings, insurance, WHS inspections, call for artists expressions of interest or commission, assessment and selection of artwork, submission of artwork and project proposal to Council, planned communications to community, any road closures, installation dates etc. 

This can either be typed as a response below or uploaded as an attachment.

Include a maintenance plan and schedule. This schedule should detail all parts used in the Public Art, a material safety data sheet if applicable, list of suppliers, materials used to protect surfaces etc.

A description of the site and general location should be provided, with the following questions addressed:
• Why is this project appropriate for this site?
• Have other sites been considered, and if so, where?
• Have you identified who owns and uses the site?
• Has formal permission been requested to use the site and approval granted?
• Are there structural or engineering implications?
• Does the proposed Public Art comply with or in keeping with any planning requirements, neighbourhood plans or character studies of the area?

Site Specific works or proposals for Sculpture Symposiums must provide evidence of site suitability. This means works to be created on site must be developed from submitted concept plans and examples of similar work by artist.

What methods have been used to communicate and consult with the community? Document what consultations have occurred or are to occur. Provide supporting documentation and letters of support to indicate that adequate consultation has or will occur.

Providing information for didactic plaques, information for the media, school, local heritage, art and tourism groups is an important way to engage the community with a piece of Public Art.
This information should include information about the work, the artist, the concept, the funding body (if one exists) and its relation to place. Consider how you might wish this work to be understood by the community and visitors.

Essential education material should include the artist’s name, the title of the work, the medium in which it is created, the date of creation, any organisations involved in the project creation, information about the Public Art and its meaning and connection to place, accommodation, public programs, landscaping and signage.