Almost $200K approved for cultural centre’s public art

COUNCILLORS voted in favour to approve an additional $90K from the shire’s Public Art Reserve to increase the budget of the Cowes Public Art Commission.

The total of the commission is now at $180K, with the previous budget available at $90K.

According to the shire’s agenda for the February meeting, any unspent funds and contributions each year are directed into the public art reserve.

Over the past 10 years, this reserve fund accumulated almost $120K of unallocated funds, with the fund now at $28,430.

The additional budget was sought as ‘fabricating a high-quality public artwork to complement the scale and ambition of Cowes Community and Cultural Centre will not be achieved with the existing allocation’.

According to the shire, there has been 50 applications from artists following an expression of interest period.

The south-western corner of the cultural centre site (corner Thomson Avenue and Church Street) has been nominated as the location for the placement of the artwork, as this is outside the current development and landscaping boundary.

Speaking at the February meeting, Deputy Mayor, Cr Rochelle Halstead said she believed it was an appropriate use of funds.

However, Cr Les Larke added, “the existence of reserves does not necessarily mean that council has the cash funds available to allocate to the reserves.” 

“In my view, this further allocation of $180,000 from reserves is an illusion,” he said.

It was clarified although that the allocation from reserves was $90K, as funds had already been allocated towards the public art commission.