Public Art

Public Art Strategy

In 2013, the City recognised a need to reinvigorate the public art context locally and developed a Public Art Strategy. One of the objectives of the strategy was to introduce a public art advisory group.

Public Art Advisory Group

The Public Art Advisory Group is made up of community representatives and industry specialists who help guide the City and its elected members on the implementation of public art projects.

The group will meet four times a year to assess artist concepts put forward by developers. Meetings in 2017 will take place on 30 May, 1 August and 7 November.  

City investment in public art

The City of South Perth supports the development of public art through its investment of 2% (of the total project cost) towards public art in new above ground urban design, public open space, community building constructions and redevelopment projects. The policy only applies to projects with a value greater than $2 million dollars. More information about this can be found in Policy P101 Public Art.

Opportunities for these artwork projects are generally advertised. The selection process usually includes either a shortlisting from an expression of interest or tendered brief and final artist/artist team is determined by the City’s Public Art Advisory Group.

Developer contribution to public art

In April 2017, Council endorsed the revised Planning Policy P316 Developer Contribution for Public Art and Public Art Spaces. 

Policy P316 has been in operation since July 2014 and requires developers of projects with a value of $4 million or greater to contribute towards public art within the City of South Perth. The revised policy:

• Encourages contributions to the City’s Public Art Fund, by offering a discount on the required contribution amount
• Ensures that large developments diversify their artwork budget allocation, by requiring part of the contribution to be paid into the Public Art Fund
• Requires public art proposals to be assessed against the Qualitative Assessment Criteria set out in the City’s Public Art Toolkit – A Guide for Developers.

The new policy applies to development where planning approval is issued on or after 27 April 2017. 

For inclusion in the Public Art Advisory Group agenda, developers are asked to provide an electronic copy of all documents listed in the Public Art Toolkit Appendix C: Artwork Concept Application to the Arts Officer two weeks prior to the meeting.