Frequently Asked Questions
- Local stories, personalities and features of places that could be celebrated and inform public art that is meaningful and contributes to a sense of identity and community
- Specific local opportunities and challenges that influence the kinds of public art outcomes that are achievable and appropriate in particular areas
- Potential public art projects, which will help to inform future resource requirements.
- Strategic Direction
- Plan for Public Art by Precinct
- Operational Context
- Appendices
- Feedback form for community members
- Feedback form for industry professionals
- Ask us a question online about the draft Masterplan
- Ask us a question online
- Contact the City on 9474 0777 and ask to speak to someone about the Public Art Masterplan, or email enquiries@southperth.wa.gov.au.
What is the Public Art Masterplan?
The Public Art Masterplan is a strategic document that outlines the high level vision, principles and objectives for public art within the City, as well as providing detailed direction about the ongoing delivery of public art in the City.
For all suburbs and precincts in the City, the Masterplan will consider and identify:
How was the draft Masterplan developed?
A survey was first open from 9 March – 6 April 2020. Due to the impacts of COVID-19, we received only a small number of responses before the survey closed in early April. The survey was reopened from 22 June - 27 July 2020 to ensure that as many people as possible had an opportunity to have their say.
In September 2020, a public art bus tour and workshop was held with community members, and two more surveys were sent out to seek feedback from industry professionals. A final workshop was held with industry professionals in December 2020.
Other engagement activities that were planned at community events in early 2020 had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.
All of the feedback captured through these various engagement activities has been collated and analysed by the City and used to develop the draft Public Art Masterplan.
What are the precincts referred to in the draft Masterplan and how were they determined?
There are eight precincts in the draft Public Art Masterplan. Planning around precincts helps to ensure that public art outcomes are a good fit for each of the City’s distinctive neighbourhoods.
The boundaries of most precincts in the draft Masterplan generally align with suburban boundaries across the City and correspond (as much as possible) with the neighbourhoods referenced in other City plans, such as activity centre plans, and the Integrated Transport Plan.
Where precinct boundaries differ from the suburban boundaries, these differences relate to areas of the City where there is comparatively more development or activity happening now, and being planned for the future. These areas include: the South Perth Activity Centre, the Canning Bridge Activity Centre, and areas linked to the Bentley-Curtin Specialised Activity Centre. Please refer to the precinct map for more detail.
How is the document set out?
The draft Masterplan is divided into four parts:
View the draft Masterplan in the document library.
Part One relates to the high-level vision, principles and objectives for public art and is most relevant to the general community, while Part Two provides more technical guidance and information relevant to delivering public art projects and is most appropriate for industry professionals.
There are two feedback forms available – one for the community members (which relates to Part One of the draft document) and one for industry professionals (which relates to Part Two of the documents).
Please complete the feedback form/s most relevant to you.
What are the next steps?
Once feedback closes on 11 April 2022, the feedback will be reviewed and any necessary changes will be made before the draft Masterplan is finalised, in readiness for publication and implementation.
It is anticipated that the Public Art Masterplan will begin implementation in the second half of 2022.
How can I get involved and provide my feedback?
Complete a feedback form online. We have two separate feedback forms, one for community members and one for industry professionals. Please complete the form/s most relevant to you.
Hard copy feedback forms are available at the Civic Centre and South Perth and Manning libraries.
Feedback closes at 4pm, Monday 11 April 2022
I’d prefer not to complete the feedback form online. How else can I complete the feedback form?
No problem. Hard copy feedback forms are available from the City's Civic Centre and South Perth and Manning libraries. Simply return your completed form to the City of South Perth or hand it in to one of our staff at the libraries or Civic Centre by 4pm, Monday 11 April 2022.
How can I ask questions about the project?
General FAQs
What is public art?
Public art is artwork located in and/or clearly seen from the public realm (streets, parks, open spaces, public areas, etc.) and is created by a professional practising artist. These days, works of public art come in a variety of forms including long lasting sculptures and monuments as well as works that are temporary or short-lived (ephemeral). See Public Art Information Sheet 1 for more information and local examples.
How can I find out about the different works of public art in the City of South Perth?
The City of South Perth has created a Public Art Map that shows the location of public artworks in the City, along with some information and images about current and past works.
You can find out more about the City’s public art by visiting the City’s website and reading the Public Art Strategy Outcomes Report 2016-2019.
New artworks are also featured on the City’s website, in publications and on social media.
Why does the City of South Perth provide public art for its community?
The City’s Cultural Plan 2019-23 is based on a growing understanding that cultural expression is an essential ingredient for community wellbeing and harmony, and reflects a strong desire within the community to enrich our lives through cultural activities. The City values public art as a means of celebrating the identity and history of the community, enhancing the environment and contributing to a sense of place, reinforcing our vision as a ‘City of active places and beautiful spaces’.
What policies and strategies are in place for public art in the City of South Perth?
The City of South Perth is currently guided by its Public Art Strategy 2016-19, as well as two policies relating to public art:
Once finalised, the new Public Art Masterplan will supersede the Public Art Strategy 2016-19.
See Public Art Information Sheet 2 – Public Art in the City of South Perth, for more information about the ongoing development of the City’s approach to public art.
How is public art in the City of South Perth resourced?
The City has two policies relating to public art, which are both ‘percent for art’ policies. These ensure that a certain percentage of the construction costs of larger public and private developments is allocated to delivering public art in association with the development.
P101: Public Art commits public (City) funds to public art, while P316: Developer Contributions to Public Art and Public Art Spaces requires that developers commit private funds for public art. The majority of enduring public art in the City is commissioned according to these policies.
The City has also established a Public Art Fund, where funds for public art may be paid by developers when they choose to pay cash instead of commissioning public art, as required by P316. The City also sometimes allocates funds to this account to enable the delivery of more ambitious public art projects. Funds from the Public Art Fund are only used for approved public art projects, on the recommendation of Arts Advisory Group (AAG) (formerly the Public Art Advisory Group) and with approval from Council.
From time to time, public art initiated by the community may be funded in various ways by community members or local businesses. Some projects may also be resourced through partnerships between the City and community or businesses.
The City also allocates resources from its operational budget to maintain the City’s collection of public art, and to support programs and projects that commission temporary and ephemeral public art.
What is ‘percent for art’?
‘Percent for art’ is a well-established funding system for public art that is widely used by government organisations internationally. It typically involves a policy commitment to allocate a percentage (often around 1%) of the total budget of government construction projects to commission artists to create artworks for the site. In the last few decades, percent for art has been adopted by local governments and has begun to be applied to private development as well as public projects.
What is the Arts Advisory Group?
The Arts Advisory Group (AAG) (formerly the Public Art Advisory Group) was established to bring together members with relevant expertise in public art and arts and culture more generally, and to provide independent advice and recommendations to assist the City in making informed decisions on public art. The AAG currently has a membership of five, comprising four experts from within the arts industry, recruited through an expression of interest process, and one Elected Member of the City who has been nominated by Council.
How is public art selected for commissioning in the City of South Perth?
All public art that is commissioned by the City of South Perth is selected and commissioned in accordance with the applicable procurement policies as required under the Local Government Act 1995. This usually involves a competitive process in which multiple artists submit expressions of interest and/or concept proposals in response to a brief, and these are evaluated against selection criteria by a panel.
Temporary and ephemeral artworks are selected by a panel of relevant City officers and sometimes external stakeholders where commissions involve partnership or other forms of collaboration.
In addition to the above, enduring artworks that become a City asset must be reviewed by the City’s Arts Advisory Group (AAG) and recommended for acquisition into the City’s Public Art Collection.
All developer public art commissions required under P316 are selected by the private developer, but must be submitted for review by the City’s Arts Advisory Group (AAG). The City decides on whether to approve the submitted proposal on the basis of recommendations and advice provided by the AAG.
Where public art outcomes involve or include First Nations artists, stories or imagery, these proposals must be reviewed and approved by the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group in addition to other approvals.
Proposals for community initiated public art commissions must be submitted in advance to the City’s Arts Officer who will initiate internal review and advise on appropriate approval processes and requirements, depending on the nature of the proposal.
Who can get involved in creating public art in the City of South Perth?
Artists who meet the City’s eligibility criteria for professional practising artists, as set out in the Public Art Toolkit or detailed in briefs, can work with developers or apply for advertised opportunities to create and install public art within the City of South Perth.
From time to time, public art commissions are specifically intended to provide opportunity for the community to work with artists and to participate in their development and creation to varying degrees. These opportunities are typically promoted via the City’s website, social media and other relevant channels.
The City encourages community groups, local businesses and property owners who are interested in partnering with the City, or who can offer a suitable site for an artwork on private property, to contact the City on 9474 0777 or email enquiries@southperth.wa.gov.au.