By Dominique Tassell
Southern Downs Regional Council (SDRC) approved the temporary installation of art by Scots PGC located at the Warwick River Walk.
SDRC’s Community Development team received a request for Scots PGC to install a temporary art display of student artwork on the two unused signs located next to the exercise equipment and Tiddalick on the Warwick River Walk.
As this is a temporary display, this request falls outside of SDRC’s Public Art Policy and as such is being processed independently.
The artwork will be completed by the school children and installed on marine plyboard. The temporary installation will be displayed for a period of three months from the date of installation.
The applicant will be required to sign an agreement including terms of financial responsibility to install the artwork to the sign structure to a professional standard with final authority issued by SDRC’s facilities team.
The agreement outlines that the artwork must fall within appropriate guidelines and at any stage during the three-month duration, SDRC can request for the artwork to be removed due to deterioration, failure to maintain or reason for safety concern.
It was stated in the agenda that SDRC’s Community Development team have worked quickly on this application due to the nature of the application and overall alignment with SDRC’s Arts and Culture core values.
Should Scots PGC wish for the installation to remain after the three-month duration, a further application will be required and considerations will be made for a full Public Art Reference Group (PARG) application should they wish it to be a permanent installation.
SDRC has no financial responsibility for this art installation.
In the meeting, Cr Stephen Tancred stated that PARG was “set up for a reason”, and while the project is not going through PARG due to it being a temporary display it may upset residents that they did not have to go through the same process.
“Is there some check and balance in this process that what is being proposed will meet community standards?”
A staff member stated that they will ensure that the work meets these standards, and can request it be taken down at any time.
Cr Cynthia McDonald stated that “art certainly is open to interpretation”.
She referenced a piece in Freestone which she said she still questions.
“I know others have questioned what exactly that piece of art is.”
Mayor Pennisi stated that the piece is meant to represent global warming.
Cr McDonald stated that is correct, though others may interpret it not as global warming.
Cr Marco Gliori spoke about how much he values childrens’ art and supports the Scots PGC project.
“This is another great example of our community stepping forward and saying our kids express themselves and we don’t always get to see it outside of the school so this is a wonderful initiative.”
He said he was sure the project will receive community feedback.
“I look forward to taking a walk down there through the park and seeing this temporary art installation and giving them some feedback on it as well.”
Cr Sheryl Windle stated she thought it was great to see SDRC working with a local school.
“I think it’s a great opportunity and I’m sure that they will promote their artwork accordingly because they want their school promoted as well and they certainly don’t want to see that in a bad light.
“So I’m sure it will be appropriate.
“I hope that we can see more of this in the future, perhaps another school might come on board after the first three months and this might be a work in progress for the future.”
The motion was moved by Cr Gliori and seconded by Cr Windle.
