Art in the community
Among our Sydney 2030 goals is a promise to give more people more access to the arts. We’ve been doing so well we don’t want to stop; now we’re even bringing the art to you!
It’s all about public art. We’re commissioning art for your village centre, town square and the local park. New work is appearing across Central Sydney (especially in our lovely laneways) and we’re planning some pretty major art projects for our urban renewal areas.
We plan to include different ways of interpretation and expression in the work we commission – including the tradition of Aboriginal story telling, which we want to recognise and celebrate. Eora Journey will be our first major Sydney 2030 to recognise the city’s Aboriginal heritage.
We like encouraging community art and supporting local artists as much as we like to attract the big names.
Part of our plans to introduce art everywhere sees us talking to business (include property developers) and other levels of government to spruik public art … in the hope they will commission some work too.
Of course, we’re still maintaining our excellent collection of art works, monuments and memorials. You probably saw some of these monuments re-interpreted during Art & About in 2010, when we invited Australia’s most remarkable designers to dress them up. That’s just one example of how surprising, fun, irreverent and eye catching public art can be.
Public art has a serious side too. A lamp for Mary by Mikala Dwyer lights an alley where a brutal assault took place, while Aspire by Warren Langley references an uprising in Ultimo/Pyrmont which saved community houses from demolition. Dark or light, art should make us think, after all.
Towards 2030 we are championing public art to:
- increase creative expression
- promote and support local artists
- encourage participation in art in all its forms.
Sydney 2030: green, global and connected. Go to the strategic directions.
