Surf Coast Shire residents can have their say on the types of public art and its maintenance across the region with a new draft policy.
Council endorsed the draft Surf Coast Public Art Policy for public exhibition during its Tuesday, March 25, meeting with seven councillors voting for the draft policy and one against.
Deputy mayor Libby Stapleton said the policy would help ensure a structured framework to manage public art as it helped “tell local stories old and new” and define a community’s identity.
“Surf Coast established a reputation as one of regional Australia’s top creative hotspots. We know that public art is important so we should be looking after it,” she said.
“Public art adds so much value to our community. I can think of many sculptures and murals in public spaces that add vibrancy and help create a sense of place.
“There’s an amazing array of artwork, but we didn’t necessarily always know where it was, why it was there, who provided it and whether or how it was being maintained.”
Ms Stapleton said a public art policy was recognised as a priority in the creative places strategy that was adopted in 2023.
“We are committing through this policy to ensure best practice management and care of Surf Coast public art collection,” she said.
“This policy will help ensure long-term preservation of public art and help maintain the significance and integrity of artworks while protecting artist rights.”
