PASW Regional Newsletter: Spring 2000
Report on the Regional Network Meeting November 1999
Planning and Public Art : process and production
The Brewhouse, Taunton, 3rd November 1999.
Maggie Bolt welcomed everyone to the meeting. She said that public art was a principle not an art form and she went onto talk about the diverse range of practice that exists. She said that there were no easy definitions or magic formula but that the onus was on everyone involved in a project to think creatively and collaboratively. She talked about what artists bring to projects; a different way of thinking and their contributions from functional to temporary work. She said that she hoped today the meeting would explore the ways in which the planning process could involve artists. Maggie showed a brief selection of slides of public art commissions illustrating the range of possibilities. She concluded her introduction with a quote from Dr Marion Roberts, who contributed a chapter on Art in the Public Realm within the publication Introducing Urban Design "Planners and designers need not be afraid of public art policies: at their most creative they can achieve every politicians' dream and outlive their providers, as permanent installations and as events forming part of the collective memory of the contemporary city". Maggie thanked the Chair, Alastair Brook for agreeing to take part in the meeting, the speakers and Taunton Deane Borough Council for helping formulate and finance the meeting. She then introduced the Chair Alastair Brook, Team Manager, City Projects & Urban Design, Bristol City Council.
Alastair Brook said that he saw himself as an architect and planner and as such was primarily concerned with how we brought the role of the artist back into focus. How we do it ? How we justify it ? How we get someone to pay for it ? And how we chose it ? He said that delegates would be hearing presentations by Rod Harrington, Development Control Manager and Simon Thornley, Senior Planner in the Planning Policy Team from Taunton Deane Borough Council and from Scotland, artist Jacqueline Donachie and Riccardo Marini, Group Manager - Development and Regeneration Services, Glasgow City Council. He said that he had a list of questions and issues submitted by the delegates that would be addressed by the speakers and through the plenary session. Alastair concluded by saying that he would like to see debate on how we can get more art in to our cities. He then introduced Rod Harrington and Simon Thornley.
Rod Harrington started by defining public art. He showed slides of public art work sited in Taunton. He spoke about why we need public art:
- urban regeneration.
- adding value.
- sense of ownership.
- stimulation and challenge.
- civic pride / corporate image.
- celebration.
- uplifting the spirit.
- improving environment quality.
- identity / sense of place.
Simon Thornley talked about policy issues. He spoke about Local Plans, what they do and contain, and how, for the purpose of public art, it was generally the policy content of the plan, rather than the proposals that merit examination. He talked about government advice and the role of the Regional Government Offices in policy implementing rather than policy making. Simon spoke specifically about local plans within the region and the inclusion of % for Art clauses which were inevitably lost or tamed by advice from Government Office South West who stated that "providing for art is voluntary". Simon concluded by saying that Taunton Deane had produced a clause indicating the incorporation of public art within the overall design policy subject to negotiation with developers - this he said was still to be seen by Government Office South West.
Rod spoke about planning permission and public art; the definition of development, the complex nature of the planning control process and planning control powers. He discussed the ways in which planning control can stimulate public art:-
- % for Art.
- Imposing conditions.
- Planning obligations.
- Informal agreements.
- Design / decoration of buildings / spaces.
- Publication of leaflets.
- Preparation of development briefs.
- Design guides.
Rod went on to talk about achieving good design and about the future role for planning and public art. He spoke about the current situation not being great and how planning often follows but doesn't lead. He said that he felt the first stage was to encourage Government Office South West to acknowledge that there are some situations when conditions can be put on a public art involvement. Rod talked about the importance of added value and the need to move forward on % for Art and informal agreements. He concluded by saying that planners must use their positions of power.
Jacqueline Donachie talked about the project she worked on in Darnley between April 1998 - March 1999 managed by Visual Arts Projects. She spoke about how she was appointed initially on a research project, ( on the strength of her previous work ), to work towards a proposal for the area of Darnley, a housing area outside Glasgow. She talked about how, after a series of three meetings the idea of three 'gateways features' was dropped on her, something that Jacqueline soon discovered was not what the local people wanted. Jacqueline spoke about the three strands of the project that subsequently developed. Firstly, around the huge sycamore tree that sat in Darnley, secondly, around the green fields site which was due to be developed and thirdly, the strand of work that developed around the idea of a book.
She described her interest in public versus private space and how so much public space was being eradicated, often due to the issue of maintenance that went with a public space. Her proposal that focused on the green fields site was to create a public space that could be used by many different constituencies of people in a multiplicity of ways. The work she conceived was called the Disc and was a circular concrete space sited on the hill behind some of the houses. She talked in depth about realising the work and how she got around the planning process by making it a 'function-less' object and how it was greeted by residents. She spoke about its usage and about the lack of vandalism to date - a sign of its acceptance. The Book, Jacqueline described as being full of little urban myths. She explained about how she had listened to many stories told by residents and asked the school children to write her some stories - all resulting in the Book.
The third facet of the project, the Trees, was to a certain extent a gateway feature. Jacqueline described her proposal to plant monkey puzzle trees. Jacqueline concluded by describing the opening event which took place on the disc and included ballroom dancing.
Riccardo Marini started by explaining his responsibilities within the Development and Regeneration Services of Glasgow City Council. He talked briefly about how Jacqueline's work had arisen from a % for Art Policy and its success. He went on to talk about his belief in the need to establish a broad strategy that didn't interfere with art, but which set up mechanisms for selecting artists within a democratic process, and the ways of providing a very open and free situation for artists to work in. He went on to say how important it was to devise a system where art is not tacked on, but embedded in a unitary city plan. Riccardo spoke about the biggest growth area being in relation to housing. He talked about the city plan trying to shape the development that reinforces the structure of the city and how a public art strategy reinforces a sense of place. He said that he felt it was essential to find ways of making documents/policies work and that he was interested in discussing how strategies can evolve. Riccardo talked about the strategic document that he is working on and the intention to make a policy framework that can be used to implement public art; therefore creating an environment which will enable art work to happen. He concluded by speaking about how important it was to talk about art in terms of benefits as well as in terms of artistic endeavour.
The plenary session followed and covered a wide range of issues including:
- on unease that often planners have greater power than the arts officers to invest in artists and therefore the importance of the departments consulting and working together.
- surely we need good quality artistic expression in buildings?
- the fact that architecture is generally not as rich as it was in 19th century due to the many demands placed on the building eg environment, health and safety etc.
- a perceived problem of finding artists who worked in a more strategic way and who were familiar with all the problems of usage.
- suggestions on how to lobby the Government to induce architects to take more risks.
- the fact that art needs to be put back into the construction industry and a new generation of craftspeople and artists be encouraged.
- that creative diversity in building is lacking. A sense of individuality needs to be re-introduced.
The meeting then concluded with thanks to the speakers, Chair and Taunton Deane Borough Council.
Lisa Harty, Network Co-ordinator, on behalf of PASW