A policy to bridge the way for public art in Tauranga has been approved.
The Public Art Policy had come under criticism for lacking vision after Tauranga policy analyst Peter McKinlay said it was not a public art policy but a policy to manage public space.
But councillors voted unanimously to put the policy in place. It would see potential artwork assessed against artistic excellence, innovation and quality, environmental fit, impact, durability of the work and ongoing maintenance, accessibility and safety by a Public Art Advisory Group.
The group will consist of council members, up to four external members with expertise in the art sector, a tangata whenua representative and a community representative.
Councillor Matt Cowley welcomed the new policy. "There was no vision in terms of where public art is going, there was a strong demand in getting this over the line, we have a mechanism there for moving forward now," he said