Future public art proposals will be reviewed by an art panel after two new policies were adopted by Hamilton City Council on Thursday 11 November.
The Permanent Public Art and Monuments and Memorial Art policies were recommended to a Council meeting following community consultation earlier this year.
Community Committee Chair Councillor Mark Bunting said the art panel would do a fantastic job and help streamline the proposal process.
“With all the right people around the table from the get-go, we can make good decisions around the art we choose to showcase in public spaces. We know art contributes huge amounts of colour and vibrancy to our city, and a specialised panel will help us tell the tales of Kirikiriroa accurately, without stifling the creativity of our city’s artists.”
The panel will be made up of Council staff, iwi and hapuu representation, and other art or construction specialists. Its advice will be sought on artistic merit, cultural appropriateness, location, public, engineering and construction, maintenance requirements and any other issues identified by Council.
While a taskforce was also proposed to make recommendations on existing artwork that had caused significant upset, Council voted to remove it from the policies.
The policies were part of a wider conversation about art, Bunting said.
“This has been a worldwide discussion – public art and monuments have been a hot topic for over a year now and we’re leading the way with solid guidelines. We know that by getting it right at the proposal stage, we can be confident any permanent public artwork gifted to Council will be enjoyed by the community for a long time.”
Both policies provide more clarity around what public art is, along with a better process for accepting and installing artwork, memorials, and monuments.
The two new policies will:
- Establish an art panel to review and make recommendations on new artwork proposals.
- Differentiate monuments and memorials from public art, so that depictions of individuals, groups, or events undergo a more robust engagement process.
- Establish key criteria for public art proposals to be successful (e.g., structurally sound, tells the stories of Hamilton in an inclusive way).
The policies will not apply for public art on private land, temporary public art – such as murals or short-term installations – or art located at some Council facilities such as Waikato Museum.