Tauranga's proposed public art policy has come under fire with one critic saying it lacks vision.
The council last Thursday came in for widespread criticism over the draft policy, with Tauranga public policy analyst Peter McKinlay saying it was not a public art policy.
Mr McKinlay was one of 10 people who spoke to their submissions on the policy drafted to answer concerns that decisions on public art were being made on an ad hoc basis.
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He urged the council to defer a decision, saying it looked more like a policy to manage public space than to promote public art.
Mr McKinlay questioned the fundamental issue underpinning the policy that it only applied to artworks on council-owned buildings and open spaces.
He highlighted the huge new Owen Dipplie mural on the side of Harrington House, saying that despite its impact on the environment it did not qualify as public art, while the smaller, less visible mural on the side of the Elizabeth St carpark building was public art.
Mr McKinlay used the wording of public art policies for Wellington, Auckland, New Plymouth, Nelson and Napier to underline the shortcomings of Tauranga's policy.
"The draft policy degrades Tauranga's brand."
He said it was crucial that, when the council finally adopted the policy, it positioned Tauranga as a centre of innovation, creativity and excellence.
"It is a mindset. It is how we feel about what we are trying to create. Is it [the policy] purely functional or is it aspirational," he asked.
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Mayor Stuart Crosby said there was no doubt the draft policy was operational.
The flip side of Mr McKinlay's argument was whether the words made a difference.
Mr McKinlay responded that the words "absolutely" made a difference.
It was not just council officers and councillors but the broader community, so that everyone was in agreement.
The wow factor needed to be embedded in the underlying objectives of the policy.
Mr Crosby said artistic things happened around Tauranga without the council putting out "nice vision statements".
Mr McKinlay said one of the messages from the public meetings was the sense of disengagement between the council and the artistic community.
The council received 38 submissions and will decide on the policy next Tuesday.