OWNERS of developments worth more than $1 million in the City of Bayswater will need to contribute funds to public art in the community after the council updated its policy.
The City’s public art policy required developers to pay one per cent of the construction cost to the City’s cash-in-lieu funds – which would be spent after the development started.
According to the policy, public art may include freestanding art or art integrated into building exteriors, unique functional objects (such as seats or gates) or that which involves an interpretation of cultural heritage or place.
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READ NOWPreviously, developers were required to engage an artist to produce artwork to be displayed on-site.
Bayswater Mayor Dan Bull said the policy provided more flexibility for the City to deliver more local art opportunities.
“We have got a situation where an art piece just might not be able to fit, then paying cash-in-lieu means that the City can think about where an appropriate spot is to provide art,” he said.
“The City is incredibly lucky to have cultural hubs such as King William Street and Whatley Crescent in Maylands with their artist studios, trendy cafes and vintage shops set against a backdrop of vibrant murals.”
Cr Bull said it was important for large-scale developers to improve amenity and complement the Morley, Bayswater and Meltham structure plans along with the Maylands activity centre plan.
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