FAQ - Frequently asked questions:

Q. Who can apply to the art+place Queensland Public Art Fund?
A. Queensland Government departments and agencies, Queensland local government councils, not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations, arts and cultural festivals and private sector entities. All applicants must: 

• be based in Queensland or demonstrate a strong connection to Queensland
• have satisfactorily acquitted any previous grants from Arts Queensland and art+place projects
• demonstrate a track record of project management or confirmation of professional public art project management services hired for the project
• for organisations-be either a Queensland Government department or agency, a local government authority, a not-for-profit organisation, or a non-government organisation that is either an incorporated association or a company
• if applying under an auspice, be auspiced by a Queensland organisation that is registered under law.

Q. I am an individual, can I apply?
A. No, individuals are not eligible to apply. However, you can partner with an eligible organisation to deliver a project together.

Q. What is a private sector entity?
A. For the purposes of art+place, a private sector entity is considered to be a non-government organisation that is either an incorporated association or a company.

Q. What does ‘in-kind’ mean?
A. In-kind is non-cash contribution to the project, for example materials, expertise or skills that have a dollar value, but are provided without the exchange of cash. The dollar value of in-kind contributions are provided in the application budget.

Q. What does ‘public space’ mean?
A. For the purposes of art+place, a public space is defined as space that is not located in internal or privatised places where there is limited access by the public to the proposed artworks.

Q. How is my application assessed?
A. Each application is assessed by art+place staff for eligibility, prior to being assessed by the art+place Curatorial Panel (Streams One and Two) or assessed by industry experts and program staff then approved by the art+place Curatorial Panel (Stream Three).

Q. What’s an ‘auspicing body’ and why would I need one?
A. An auspicing body is an incorporated organisation that manages a grant on behalf of an individual or an unincorporated entity. An auspicing body is responsible for providing a financial report on the completion of a project. Smaller organisations often use auspicing bodies to manage their grant. An auspicing body is not responsible for the artistic direction or quality of the project.

Q. Why would I need a project curator and/or manager?
A. Public art projects often provide challenges which require a unique set of skills and level of attention. This makes the role of a curator and project manager crucial to achieve the desired outcomes for the project. Public art curators may be contracted by the commissioning agency to deliver the public art commission. Curators are professionals with specialist public art expertise. They may operate as individduals, a commercial business, or not-for-profit arts or cultural organisation. A curator can develop the curatorial rationale for the project, undertake the selection process for artists, develop the Artwork Commission Plan and liaise with the artist on the organisation’s behalf from concept development to realisation, providing coordination of artists with sensitivity to place and artwork integrity. Some curators also have project management expertise and can liaise more broadly with the artist and client, coordinating and managing the public art project, undertaking community consultation and stakeholder management, conducting risk assessment and managing the artwork commissioning, timeframe and budget.

Q. I have a project in mind, how do I find an artist? 
A. There are three main ways to select an artist. Models may include:

• open competition through a call for an ‘expression of interest’ for artists
• ‘limited tender’ where a number of artists’ agencies, galleries or representatives are approached or a jury of experts is used to recommend artists for the commission, or
• direct commission’ where artists are approached directly for the commission.

Q. What is the difference between public art and art in public places?
A. Public art includes, but is not limited to, projects that

• consider the social and physical context of the site
• enliven our public places, precincts, buildings and meeting places
• are located in places that are not cordoned off to the public
• can be built into the infrastructure of a site
• use best-practice public art commissioning practices.

Art in public places includes, but is not limited to, projects that:

• do not necessarily consider the social and physical context of the site
• are not necessarily intended to engage with or enhance the public perception of place
• may be located in an area that has limited public access
• are often termed ‘plonk’ art.

Q. Why do we have public art anyway?
A. Public art enriches and enhances our lives in a number of ways.
Public art can

• create a sense of place
• enhance our experience of being in a public space
• create a receptive, healing, social environment
• assist in wayfinding
• give meaning to a place by representing local history and recalling memories
• celebrate community values, diversity and build civic pride through visual means
• increase amenity and activate usage of a site
• educate and draw attention to significant issues.

Q. Who owns a work of art funded through art+place?
A. The commissioning agency owns the work.

Q. How is my application assessed?
A. Each application is assessed by art+place staff for eligibility, prior to being assessed by the art+place Curatorial Panel (Streams One and Two) or assessed by industry experts and program staff then approved by the art+place Curatorial Panel (Stream Three).

Q. What does ‘public space’ mean?
A. For the purposes of art+place, a public space is defined as space that is not located in internal or privatised places where there is limited access by the public to the proposed artworks.

Q. What happens when the public art project is completed?
A. You will need to complete an Outcome Report and send it in to Arts Queensland to acquit your project.