The vision laid out in section 2 of this strategy will be achieved through the commissioning and creation of high-quality public art, meaningful community engagement and participation – with sustainability central to all of this.
This section sets out how the strategy objectives can be delivered over the next 10 years with short (within 3 years), medium (within 5 years) and long term (within 10 years) indicators. This should be seen as a framework to respond to changes in local and national policy-making. The recommendations should be reviewed after 2 years.
A. Improve commissioning processes for public art
Enhance the practice of commissioning and improve the quality of public art
A good commissioning process is the foundation for high quality sustainable artwork and the mechanism to ensure an equitable, transparent and enjoyable process for all involved. The PAN and Toolkit, outline best practice.
Through this strategy the council seeks to help facilitate the process of commissioning high quality public art by providing a coherent framework of advice for everyone involved. A key aim of this strategy is to improve the quality of public art in new property developments across the city.
Indicating success
The outcome of a successful commissioning process will be assessed according to whether it:
- involves more diverse local artists
- integrates or reflects the site’s history, identity or residents
- is well-received by the community and visitors. Is seen to enliven the city and contribute to civic pride
- complements a public space by including adventurous or challenging works by contemporary local and international artists
- attracts critical acclaim from the arts sector
A. Recommendations and timescale
1. Develop a Public Art and Development Planning Advice Note and Public Art Toolkit for developers and commissioners, highlighting the importance of quality, access, inclusion and sustainability for public art.
Timescale: short term
2. Develop guidance for Art on Hoardings and Street Art
Timescale: medium term
3. Appoint appropriate staff resource to support public art commissioning - assist with drafting Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD), Planning Conditions, S106 Agreements and Planning Briefs. Advise developers and other commissioners on local community groups, artists and arts organisations.
Timescale: medium term
B. Support artists and vibrant places in neighbourhoods with collaborative projects
Support collaborative and participatory projects which are meaningful to all involved
Multidisciplinary and effective working between artists and developers from the earliest stages in the planning process is key to success. These relationships are central to public art being embedded in a development, rather than being an add-on at the end or being relegated to a set of gates or seating elements.
It is important that curators and design consultants can support artists during the commissioning and delivery process. Increased training for curators and artists will support emerging talent, diversify and increase the number of artists working in the public realm - in terms of artistic background as well as (but not exclusively) ethnicity, age, gender, disability and sexuality.
Temporary projects and events allow artists to define and re-define the physical nature of the city and its impact on our senses. Opportunities for temporary art to activate city spaces should be encouraged. Co-design and co-fabrication can enliven places, providing artists and communities a way to define the character of their neighbourhoods and the city as a whole, bringing people together to create and celebrate their neighbourhood.
The commissioning process should be used to discuss the nature of place, its use and users:
- inclusion
- exclusion
- space for older people
- space for young people allowing for collaborative
- participatory and multidisciplinary practices where appropriate
New cultural infrastructure could include pavilions and space for cultural activities, designed and built by the relevant communities. Temporary (or meanwhile) interventions can spark ideas, strike up conversations and create new spaces in which the ‘art of the possible’ can occur.
Indicating success
The outcome of successful collaborative commissions will be assessed according to whether they:
- increase engagement with the local community in the development of public art and, where appropriate its creation
- attract people to locations that they might not usually visit or that offer new viewpoints of the city
- enlivens neighbourhoods, contribute to local civic pride and is well received by the community and visitors
B. Recommendations and timescale
4. Support artists and the development of vibrant places in neighbourhoods with collaborative projects that help to improve residents’ experience and participation.
Timescale: short term
5. Develop a policy for all major developments to produce an arts or public art strategy, including an education element or programme.
Timescale: medium term
6 Encourage collaborative projects and multidisciplinary action research with Universities and others – with a focus on ecology, art and sustainability, building on Living Coast initiatives.
Timescale: medium term
C. Funding public art
Improve the quality of the public realm
The council has identified several major development projects due to complete in the next decade across the public realm, infrastructure, transport, healthcare, leisure, industrial, housing and regeneration areas. There is no consistent way in which public art is included in new developments so new and sustainable funding partnerships or mechanisms across the city will be required, in addition to maximising the opportunities of Section 106 contributions and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
Opportunities exist with arts and cultural organisations to share expertise, resources and programme ideas for funding public art projects. The city council is unable to accept funds from private philanthropic organisations or others to deliver significant public art projects. The leading stakeholder in Brighton and Hove’s public realm is the council. The identity of the city relies heavily on the council’s success in supporting national, regional partners and key stakeholders in providing projects and events in public spaces. Recognising this key role, the city council will continue its consultative approach, working with a range of stakeholders to create experiences in the public realm based on principles of inclusion, and developing projects that make art available to everyone.
Brighton & Hove could lead the UK in pioneering the first smart use for public art funding derived from CIL, which truly delivers social, cultural and environmental value. This could involve creating a public art fund, which could be allocated across new public artworks, events, activities and projects and (where relevant) support the ongoing maintenance of existing works. The development of a formal framework for new and alternative funding opportunities should be a priority in 2022 to 2023.
Indicating success and timescale
The outcome of successful funding models will be assessed according to whether they:
- enable the implementation of key partnership projects
- facilitate an increased number of partnerships with Higher Education institutions, cultural organisations and other key stakeholders
- embed inclusive principles to create accessible public art projects and experiences in the public realm.
C. Recommendations and timescale
7. Engage with council departments, landowners, developers and businesses for discussions on temporary activities and interventions, including meanwhile uses.
Timescale: short term
8. Identify projects and sites at an early stage where public art opportunities can be discussed with developers (pre-planning). Highlighting activities throughout the design and construction process.
Timescale: short term
9. Explore finance opportunities and partnerships to access diverse and alternative longer-term funding for public art projects and programmes. This could include Local Enterprise Partnership funding; using match-funding against the CIL and Section 106; exploring options to create an arts, culture and heritage fund through the CIL, including a budget for public art and maintenance.
Timescale: medium term
10. Encourage collaboration between academia, the cultural sector and local community organisations to deliver skills, business and entrepreneurial training to support arts and cultural organisations and the wider community. Establishing new relationships, bringing students and artists together.
Timescale: longer term
D. Manage, maintain and promote public art
Improve the management of the city’s public art collection
Many Brighton & Hove residents have a strong attachment to the artworks in the city’s public spaces. The preservation of these works, in situ, is of importance to the council. The Brighton & Hove public art collection includes all new permanent and temporary works commissioned by the city. The collection is augmented by public art commissioned by others through S106 or other processes and is the responsibility of the commissioner / land / site / building owners. Information can be found on the public art section of the council’s website.
Managing the collection includes monitoring and assessing artworks to ensure conservation or refurbishment of many historical works are carried out as funding allows. The city council’s policy guidelines and public art processes should be reviewed in order to maintain the collection in a culturally and environmentally sustainable manner. The original context of an artwork can lose its relevance over time and the relocation, de-commissioning or removal of an artwork should be considered if the work is no longer as the artist intended, has health and safety implications or has reached the end of its design life.
A successful public art programme is actively promoted to residents, workers and visitors. It is important to encourage creativity amongst young people, by highlighting public art in their neighbourhood and offering the opportunity to be involved in creating more - the city can become a gallery.
Indicating Success
The outcome of successful public art management will be assessed according to whether it:
- reduces maintenance needs by restoring heritage items in a way that ensures their preservation into the future
- collects more detailed information on artworks and makes this available to the public
- increases the availability and use of public art resources and in themed walking, cycling tours and artist-led tours.
D. Recommendations and timescale
11. Undertake an audit of Brighton & Hove’s public artworks, including monuments, plaques (incorporate the existing list) and street art.
Condition and long term maintenance considerations are part of this audit.
Timescale: short term
12. Encourage others to give tours and involve the city’s residents in an ongoing dialogue about public art in the city.
Timescale: medium term