Tēnā koe Michael

Thank you for your email dated 12 June 2023 requesting information.

Our team will manage your request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 which requires us to provide a decision as soon as possible, but no later than 10 July 2023 being 20 working days of receipt.

The reference number for your request is IRC-5004

Please contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind regards

The Assurance Team
Email: [email address]
Wellington City Council | W Wellington.govt.nz | |

The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.

show quoted sections

Good afternoon Michael,

Thank you for your email received on 12 June 2023 in which you requested information relating to the proposed Rata Sculpture.

I can advise that under section 13 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 your request is granted and for no cost.

I am currently in the process of clarifying this information and will look provide this within the next five working days.

Should you have any further questions please feel free to contact me.

Kind regards,
Ian

show quoted sections

Dear Michael,

 

Further to my email dated 10 July 2023 in which I advised your request was
granted, I am now able to provide you with a formal response to your
request.

 

In your email received on 12 June 2023 you referred to the following:

 

“The Post reported that a proposed rata sculpture to be provided free and
situated on land underneath the existing 'Wellington' sign on the way
to/from the airport was declined by Council.  The Post quoted quite a
waffly answer as to why the sculpture was declined.

 

My assumption is that the proposal would have been assessed by an advisor
and then presented to a committee of some kind for a final decision”. 

 

I will address each of your questions in turn.

 

1. Is my assumption about the process correct? 

 

The City Arts team assesses all proposals in collaboration with the Public
Art Panel to ensure proposals meet the criteria and reflect the outcomes
for public art activity. The panel is made up of four external arts
experts and council officers from Creative Capital, City Design and Parks,
Sport and Recreation, and Mataaho Aronui.

 

In addition, officers including a representative from the Transport and
Infrastructure team were also part of the proposal review. The panel makes
a recommendation to the City Arts team. The City Arts team make the final
decision on the proposal.

 

The panel and officers reviewed the proposal in line with the Council’s
Public Art Policy and public art assessment criteria.

[1]https://wellington.govt.nz/arts-and-cult...

 

Information about the Public Art Panel

[2]https://wellington.govt.nz/arts-and-cult...

 

 

2.  Was there a specific reason(s) for decline, and if so what were those
reasons?

 

The review considered the proposal in full including artistic merit,
strategic fit and mandatory requirements such as public safety and
maintenance. There were multiple reasons for the decline of the sculpture
and these were across all assessment categories.

 

The proposal was reviewed in line with the Council’s public art assessment
criteria.
[3]https://wellington.govt.nz/-/media/arts-...

 

This review included an assessment of artistic merit which considers the
proposed artwork, its relationship to the proposed site/s and its context
including cultural, historical, environmental contexts. The Panel did not
assess The Rata Blossom Sculpture Project proposal as having a high
artistic merit based on the assessment criteria. Overall, the Panel found
the proposal prioritised scale and spectacle over a strong, meaningful
connection to Motu Kairangi, its communities and whenua.

 

The Panel recognised the artists’ and Enterprise Miramar Peninsula
Incorporated’s (EMPI) efforts in socialising the proposed sculpture with
the local community. However, given the importance and visibility of the
proposed site/s along with the large-scale and permanence of the proposed
artwork, the Panel agreed that wider consultation, research and engagement
should take place during the early stages of conceptual development before
a design is progressed and finalised.  The Panel found The Rata Blossom
Sculpture Project appeared to have been fully conceptualised and developed
without robust consultation with mana whenua and stakeholders. 

 

The Panel also noted the significant visual impact of The Rata Blossom
Sculpture Project (10m high with hundreds of illuminated petals and
glowing stamens) on the surrounding natural environment and competing
visual elements such as the Wellington sign and Meridian Walkway
sculptures along Cobham Drive. The proposal was not seen to fully consider
these aspects and a site close to competing elements is not viewed to be
appropriate for the proposed sculpture. From an urban design perspective,
the background of the hills and skyline should also be well considered and
protected. The proposed sculpture does not meet this criteria.

 

The Panel and council officers also considered the proposal in relation to
the strategic aims of the Council’s Public Art Policy and proposal
criteria. The Panel recognised the artists’ and EMPI’s interest and
aspiration for The Rata Blossom Sculpture Project to bring attention and
commerce to Miramar. They acknowledged the work of EMPI to support
business in Miramar. However, the proposal was not viewed to be a strong
fit with the Council’s strategic outcomes for public art.

 

Panel members and Council officers also raised concerns from transport,
health and safety and maintenance perspectives. The proposed sites were
seen to be difficult and high risk with the potential for the sculpture to
impact on pedestrian safety, which is already an issue in the area. The
ongoing maintenance of the sculpture was not seen to be adequately
addressed in the proposal. 

 

Please contact me if you have any further questions.

 

Kind regards,

Ian

 

Ian Hunter
Senior Advisor | Official Information Team | Wellington City Council

04 830 3572
E [4][email address] | W [5]Wellington.govt.nz 
The information contained in this email is privileged and confidential
and intended for the addressee only.
If you are not the intended recipient, you are asked to respect that
confidentiality and not disclose, copy or make use of its contents.
If received in error you are asked to destroy this email and contact the
sender immediately. Your assistance is appreciated.
[6][IMG]  

 

 

References

Visible links
1. https://wellington.govt.nz/arts-and-cult...
2. https://wellington.govt.nz/arts-and-cult...
3. https://wellington.govt.nz/-/media/arts-...
4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://wellington.govt.nz/
6. https://wellington.govt.nz/?utm_source=e...