Council’s Public Art Policy provides a clear and transparent process for assessing and making decisions about the design, placement, and preservation of art in public spaces in the Strathbogie Shire, with the aims of:

• Enhancing new and existing public spaces
• Growing a public art collection that demonstrates strong contemporary art practice
• Reflecting stories, themes, and issues relevant to our community, and
• Providing opportunities for place-making and community engagement

Our Public Art Policy creates a consistent, transparent and fair approach to how we assess and make decisions on public art. It means we’re making good decisions, with our community, when we purchase and implement public art in our Shire.

What will Council consider when accessing public art?

Council will follow these guiding principles:

• Respect and integrity – The artwork design will respect all aspects of the community. Art is subjective; while not everyone may agree with the outcome, the clear and documented process for assessing and selecting public art will respect both artists and the community.
  
• Sense of place – The design and placement of public art will respect Indigenous heritage, local history, express the local identity, enhance people’s experience of the shire’s public space and will not interfere with its intended purposes, amenity or environment.
  
• Sense of community – The community will inform the development, selection and acquisition of public art, where appropriate.
  
• Quality outcomes – The product is the result of a well-planned process, of excellent workmanship and of high aesthetic value.

Our Public Art Policy covers artwork; temporary and/ or permanent; proposed for public spaces within our Shire, including but not limited to:

• Public art commissioned or acquired by Council
  
• Public art proposed, commissioned and/ or donations transferred by private enterprise, associations, individuals, property developers, community groups, business and/ or other third parties.

Unless designed as pieces of public art, standard street furniture (seating, tables etc.) is outside the scope of this policy. Artwork proposed for privately-owned spaces or spaces owned/managed by another authority (e.g. VicRoads) are also outside the scope of this policy but may be subject to the requirements of the Strathbogie Shire Planning Scheme and other controls

We have a $20,000 allocation in the 2022/23 Budget for public art in Euroa, which was funded through the Pitch My Project initiative. Further public art may be funded through grant applications and future Budget allocations.

Public art commissions, acquisitions, transfers (including those that are works created as a result of a community grant) and donations of works will be assessed against the following criteria:

1. Evidence of high quality, contemporary arts practice. The artist or artists have experience and skills to deliver strong public art outcomes.
   
2. Suitability of the work to the site. The public art piece or proposal considers existing/planned urban design, public safety and risk implications, public use, environmental and physical impact.
   
3. Relevance of the work to local stories, themes or issues. The public art piece is relevant to residents and/or includes plans for community engagement.
   
4. Expected durability and required maintenance of the work (i.e. whole of life costings).
   
5. Adequate budget and resources to deliver proposed work.
   
6. Consistency with Council’s current planning, heritage, environmental, social, community safety and compliance policies.

Council is responsible for the maintenance and safe keeping of all Council commissioned or acquired public artwork.

We know how important public art is to our residents. It can enhance public space, create a sense of community and make our Shire a better place to live.

We want to understand where our community would like to see public art installed and the type of art they would like to see.

If you have seen some art that made an impact on you – share your pictures!

Head to Council’s engagement platform www.share.strathbogie.vic.gov.au. Here you will be able to drop a pin on a map to show where you would like to see public art in our Shire. You can also share pictures or the type of public art you would like to see in our municipality.

If you have trouble accessing the internet we urge you to make an appointment to meet our Arts and Culture Officer by phoning 1800 065 993.