Power Tool

The new Public Art Community Toolkit is a free online resource that’s designed to guide artists and commissioners through the process of creating public art for Tauranga Moana.

↑ The online Toolkit will make it a whole lot easier for people to access information about public art creation.

Chances are, everyone can recall a time when a public artwork has provoked a feeling. When we visit other places, it’s often the artworks we encounter that create some of the strongest memories. There’s no doubt that public art can be very powerful.

As art unfolds throughout a city, it tells the story of that place — the diverse community, the many cultures, the rich environment. Histories become known. It enhances our experience of a place.

Tauranga Moana is home to a vibrant and compelling wave of artists, makers and practitioners who are constantly pushing, growing and redefining their practice. Public art offers an incredible opportunity for them, and for artists across the motu, to connect with our landscape, engage with communities, start conversations and contribute to Tauranga Moana’s sense of place.

The new Public Art Community Toolkit is a practical resource designed to guide artists, and those who commission art, through the process of realising their public art projects. The Toolkit can be used by artists at any stage of their career, or by commissioners with some, little or no experience. It will be of particular benefit to recent graduates, early-career artists and community groups.

The Toolkit will walk people through the many aspects of creating a piece of public art — from formulating an idea, finding a site and sourcing funding, to what to consider once the work is installed. It has advice and step-by-step guides, as well as practical resources, such as budget and project plan templates.

This exciting free resource will soon be available at tauranga.govt.nz/publicart For more information, email: publicart@tauranga.govt.nz.