12 February 2025
File Ref: IRC-7612
Nic Lane
[FYI request #29432 email]
Tēnā koe Mr Lane
Thank you for your email dated 3 December 2024 to Te Kaunihera o Pōneke | Wellington
City Council (the Council). Your request has been considered under the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). As per my email dated 21 January
2025, the Council extended your request to al ow the necessary consultation on your
request. This has now been completed, below is our response to your request.
To supply your current agreement with Mason Screen - CIRCUIT Artist Moving Image
Aotearoa (the CIRCUIT) regarding curating and delivering the Masons Screen, including
timelines of when these agreements started/have been renewed.
The current Letter of Agreement signed November 2022 for January 2023 - January 2026
programme period. Fol owing this, the agreement may be extended for a further duration.
See Item 1.
Timeline of agreements:
Date of Agreement
Fund Period
Programme period
10 November 2015
F2015/16
December 2015 – December 2016
9 June 2016
F2015/16
December 2016 – December 2017
F2018/19
January 2019 - January 2020
13 August 2018
F2019/20
January 2020 – January 2021
F2020/21
January 2021 - January 2022
F2022/23
January 2023 – January 2024
22 November 2022
F2023/24
January 2024 – January 2025
F2024/25
January 2025 – January 2026
Note: historic public art funding allocations, can be found online -
Past Public Art Fund grant
allocations - Arts - Wel ington City Council
Can you please supply meeting minutes and calculations as to how the $750
commissioning rate for new works was assessed and how it has been reviewed?
The Council may discuss the rates with the supplier. However, the Council does not calculate,
review or assess the commissioning rates for new works, this is managed by the supplier (in
this case CIRCUIT). Discussions with CIRCUIT on the rates were discussed in the Public Art
Panel Meeting Minutes for November 2015 and October 2022. Please see item 2 and 3.
Including how it's been tested against your commitment to Living Wage frameworks?
The Council does not test public art suppliers against our own commitments to the Living
Wage. This part of your request has been refused under section 17(e) of the LGOIMA that
the document al eged to contain the information requested does not exists.
How pay parity for video artists are comparable to those delivering works for the
Courtenay Place Lightboxes?
Pay parity between video artists, stil -works artists, and other forms of art is not directly
comparable. Each form of art utilizes different methods, materials, and resources, as well as
distinct processes for development, printing, and instal ation. Consequently, compensation
for artwork will be subjective and variable.
Can you please provide the council's definition of public art and how the Mason's screen
maintains this with the inherent physical barriers of the site?
See Public Art Policy pg 3 ‘Definition: What is public art?’
Public Art Policy. The CIRCUIT fits
the definition “art process and artworks in the public sphere that may be variously
described as sculpture, murals, street-art, performance, new-genre public art, relational
aesthetics, and/or installations.
What accommodations have been made to ensure video works are accessible to al ?
While the on-site artwork has accessible limitations the Council has ensured that the site is
safe for those that can access the site. To ensure that artwork is available to all, CIRCUIT
does display some of their video work online.
How has the curation ensured it fairly represents disabled artists, please include any data
representing this?
CIRCUIT undertakes an open call for all artists, the Council reviews proposals alongside
CIRCUIT, but CIRCUIT ultimately makes the final decision. The Council does not hold
information or data on CIRCUIT’s curation of new works or the representation of disabled
artists. This part of your request has been refused under section 17(e) of the LGOIMA that
the document al eged to contain the information requested does not exists.
How much council investment to date has gone into this Smart Capital urban design?
The Council has invested $285,000 in the Smart Capital Urban Design Project which was
completed in 2015.
How has it been assessed against your commitment to 'creating spaces that showcase
universal design' in your Accessibility Action Plan 2019.
The Masons Lane project encompassed the refurbishment of a key pedestrian connection
between The Terrace and Lambton Quay. The project had a particular focus on improving
safety and wayfinding for al users, incorporating improvements to surfaces, lighting and
signage, along with opening up sightlines to improve visibility.
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The aims of the project were:
• improve the pedestrian network and strengthen a key link between Lambton
Quay and The Terrace;
• improve the safety of all users through passive surveillance;
• improve the quality of the environment with better quality surfaces, artwork
and light;
• support existing businesses, residents and pedestrians;
• highlight entrances to the laneway to draw people into the space and assist
with wayfinding.
The Mason's Lane project was completed in 2015 and thus pre-dates the Accessibility Action
Plan (2019). However, the project would most closely align with the fol owing Actions:
Action 3: Accessible Spaces - The accessible space will act as a starting point within the city
for full accessibility.
'Universal Design principles will be applied to the space, street and buildings. The space will
be designed with the accessibility community who will input on what the new higher
standard should look and feel like.'
Action 6: Urban Design Ensure that the design of public spaces incorporates universal design
principles.
'Better designed streets, managing footpaths and public spaces, and removing potential
barriers that block these spaces' in alignment with the emerging Footpath Management
Policy at that time.
Due to the chal enging topography of the space, a fully accessible route through the lane
wasn’t possible as part of this refurbishment project. However, consultation was
undertaken with the Accessibility Advisory Group in 2015, which provided advice on
handrails, step edge contrast, surfaces, reduction in clutter and other Universal Design and
accessibility aspects
.
Below are the documents that fal in scope of your request and my decision to release the
documents:
Item
Document Name
Decision
Release with redactions under
1.
Current Letter of Agreement
section 7(2)(a) to protect
privacy of natural persons.
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Item
Document Name
Decision
Release with redactions under
section 7(2)(a) to protect
2.
PAP Agenda & Minute – November 2015
privacy of natural persons.
Some information is also out of
scope of the request.
Release with redactions under
section 7(2)(a) to protect
3.
PAP Agenda & Minutes – October 2022
privacy of natural persons.
Some information is also out of
scope of the request.
4.
Public Art Policy
Release in full
You have the right, by way of complaint under section 28(1) of the LGOIMA, to request an
investigation and review of the Council’s decision by the Ombudsman. Information about
how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800
802 602.
If you require further information, please contac
t official[email address].
Nāku noa, nā
Asha Harry
Official Information & Privacy
Wel ington City Council
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