Public art, public consultation

A consultation paper setting out proposals for art in the public realm has been issued by Arts Council of Wales (ACW). The proposed programme, which would run from 2011–2014, has three strands: commissioning advocacy/research/strategies; and residencies. The proposals follow ACW’s Investment Review last year, which removed funding for Safle, the public art development agency for Wales. Safle’s artists’ residency programme was accused of lacking “focus and coherence”, and ACW will take its residency programme back ‘in house’. The themes of residencies will be the development of artists’ practice; interdisciplinary collaborations; and enabling artists “to explore the social, cultural and political context of place”. The first year of the programme will be run as a pilot year with an accompanied programme of consultation. The full programme will roll out in the second year. The closing date for responses is 3 March.