Arts Plan 2012-2016 - Offaly County Council

“Placing art identifies public arts space at community and parish levels, where it reflects andtransforms the best imaginings of local people and artists in ways and places that simplycouldn’t have been imagined before.”Medb Ruane, Foreword, Public Art Strategy, Group Report.Public ArtThe per cent for art scheme is a governmentinitiative established in 1978 and providesopportunities for artists of all disciplines to creatework to exist in the public realm. Offaly LocalAuthorities have a responsibility to commissionartworks under central government fundedcapital projects such as roads, water services,housing schemes, libraries and swimming pools.We recognise the resource that the per cent forart scheme offers for creative intervention withcommunities and expanding the county artsprogramme and are currently managing thisopportunity through Offaly Local AuthoritiesPublic Art Working Group. We have alreadyadopted a protocol for the use of this scheme,the aims of which include:1. Embed the per cent for art scheme as anintegral part of service provision in the OffalyLocal Authorities2. Outline our position and priorities in relationto how we use the percent for art scheme inOffaly.3. Make best use of available per cent for artfunding in Offaly through a creative,imaginative and diverse programme.4. Provide leadership, guidance and advice toother organisations in both the public andprivate sector in their own artisticfeatures/projects.5. Ensure Offaly increases its national profile onthe use of the per cent for art scheme6. Enhance public spaces and communities byincreasing accessibility to public artworksand quality art projects7. Improve understanding and knowledge ofthe arts through meaningful engagementwith public art works and art projects8. Ensure all public art commissioners in Offalyare informed on best practice use of thescheme9. Review our protocol during the period of thisArts Plan.51arts plan 2012–2016