City paints itself as artwork in progress

By Louisa Cleave

The first brushstrokes to turn Auckland City into a "work of art" have been applied by civic leaders.

But there will be no extra money from the Auckland City Council's budget to support its first arts policy, aimed at enlivening the city under the catchphrase: "The city is a work of art."

The Arts Agenda will look at participation in the arts, the place of the arts in urban planning and industry development, and how the arts can contribute to a "vibrant and alive city."

The council will "brainstorm" with the arts community this month to work out how it can help promote, support and develop the sector, which has been left to languish under previous administrations.

An existing policy of encouraging the use of public artworks in the central city is also being revised. Under Arts Agenda, artworks would be site-specific and integrated into the "urban fabric" of the city, with artists involved in the design and development of public spaces.

However, a proposal to levy developers to pay for public artworks is meeting resistance from some councillors.

"I don't think there's been any thought given at all [to the arts] because attention has been focused elsewhere, on Britomart or transport," said the council's project leader, Erica Law.

"Our society doesn't seem to value the arts very much."

Erica Law said that young people spoken to about arts policy lamented the lack of incentives to pursue arts careers, arguing that they had to get commerce degrees to secure their futures.

Those involved in the arts sector are welcoming the chance to have their say on how to improve the arts and culture scene.

They see the $10 million fund earmarked for culture from the defunct Auckland Regional Services Trust as the means to boost the profile of the arts, although that money is still in limbo.

Art expert Hamish Keith said it was heartening to see the council developing a vision for the sector.

"There seems to be a realisation in this council that a city is more than its drains.

"There is a network of very fine galleries and museums and potential in theatre and music, but the problem has always been making these things work together."

Mr Keith said the council had an important leadership role to play but must also back up its policies with money.

"Of course there will have to be expenditure. We will not improve how this city looks by expenditure of words."

But Victoria Carter, chairwoman of the city attractions committee considering the policy, said the council was unlikely to increase its annual $22 million arts budget.

"I think that's quite a generous amount of money and with ratepayers facing an increase, I don't know if I would be recommending more."

Advocating contemporary music within the policy is Mike Chunn, of the performing rights body Apra.

"In the short term I want them to understand the potential of the creative industry, for jobs especially," Mike Chunn said.

Among his suggestions are concerts of local music in the Auckland Domain and council support for the high school rock quest.

He said the Regional Services Trust money could be spent on a rehearsal centre providing space for the entire arts community, from dance to music.

Tourism Auckland chief executive Lance Bickford welcomed the council initiative and said a clear direction for the Auckland art and culture scene would help to promote the city.

A final draft of the arts policy is expected to be finished in July.